The Way That I Love You
by DezineWrite
Summary: Being married to one of the most powerful business men in the world has its perks. However, living the lavish lifestyle of a Cullen isn't all that it's cracked up to be. All Human. O/C. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: _This story has been swirling around in my head for a long time. I'm very excited to finally be able to post this._

**Summary:** Being married to one of the most powerful and successful business men in the world has its perks. For Bella, spending the rest of her life with the man that she loved was all that mattered. However, living the lavish lifestyle of a Cullen isn't all that it's cracked up to be. She realizes that not only did she marry the man, but also the business and the deception that came along with it. Will she ever get her happily ever after?

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga and its characters.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes tightly. I held it for a few seconds before slowly releasing a big gasp of air. With my eyes still shut, I thought about all the events that led me here to this very moment. Each memory made me smile. I couldn't find it in myself to doubt anything. This is it. This is my moment – _our_ moment. Opening my eyes, I gazed at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was pinned up into curls dressed with tiny crystal flowers and a veil. My cheeks were rosy and my dark brown eyes bright. A beautiful diamond, teardrop pendant hung around my neck. My gown was Ivory with floral detail that adorned the bodice and skirt. It had a beaded empire waist and beading along the hemline. It hugged my curves well, flowing down into a long train. Perfect.

A knock on the door startled me and I turned around just as the person poked their head inside.

"Bella, it's time." My father, Charlie, announced. My heart sped up, beating almost as fast as a humming bird's wings. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be," I stated with a smile. Charlie held out his arm to me and I latched onto it gracefully. He guided me down the corridor that led us to huge, oak wood doors. With each step, I realized how much closer I was to my future, to the beginning of my happily ever after... to my love.

I could hear the soft sounds of the orchestra as Pachelbel's Canon echoed out. The doormen smiled at me as the music began to pick up and they grabbed the brass door handles. Then, when it was my queue, they slowly pulled open the doors to reveal a grand ballroom filled with people who anxiously awaited my arrival. They stood facing me with a look of awe on their faces. I could feel the blush creep on to my cheeks. My father and I stepped onto the long, white aisle littered with red rose petals and we steadily walked towards the altar, pacing ourselves so as not to trip.

There he was; the man of my dreams and love of my life. He stood with his hands behind his back as he gazed at me – his green eyes lit up with love and adoration. He wore a black tux along with the other groomsmen that stood in a line on his left – his brother and best man, Emmett; his best friends Jasper and Ben; and his old college buddies, Eric and Tyler. To the right, stood my bridesmaids, all dressed in elegant, midnight blue gowns; my maid of honor Angela; my soon to be sister-in-laws, Rosalie and Alice; and my cousins Jessica and Lauren. Each one of them stared at me with wide smiles, eyes filled with joy, but my focus was on the man waiting for me.

A few more steps and he reached out his hand to me. Charlie placed my hand in his and back away with a slight nod to take his next to my mother, Renee. My groom pulled me up the steps to his side and I smiled up at him from under my lashes. Ever so gently, he grazed my cheek with the back of his hand, mouthing the word 'beautiful,' before turning us to face the Priest. I kept taking peeks at my groom from out of the corner of my eyes and noticed that he only stared at me; like I was the only person in the room. The voice of the Priest caused me to look forward as he started the ceremony. This was it.

"We are gathered here today in the face of family and friends, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony." He declared. "If anyone can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, speak now or forever hold their peace." He asked. The silence hung over the room, encouraging him to continue. "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

"We do." My parents voiced. I bit my lip as tears started to swell.

He continued to speak about love and commitment, stating how marriage was a sacred institution between two people that is honorable and should not be taken lightly. Soon, it was time for our vows. He turned to my groom and smiled kindly.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, do you take Isabella Marie Swan for your lawful wedded wife, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?"

Edward looked deeply into my eyes and stated firmly, "I do."

"Isabella Marie Swan, do you take Edward Anthony Cullen for your lawful wedded husband, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." I declared.

The priest had us repeat the marriage vows and asked for the rings. The rings were blessed following us stating our marriage pledge.

"In so much as Edward Anthony Cullen and Isabella Marie Swan have consented to live forever together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before these witnesses, having given and pledged their troth, each to the other, and having declared same by the giving and receiving of a ring, I pronounce that they are husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Suddenly, Edward pulled me closer to him, gripping my waist and planting his lips upon mine. This kiss was sensual and chaste as the crowd erupted into applause. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and Edward pulled away with a crooked grin on his face as he gazed down at me.

"I love you," He murmured.

Then, with his hand enveloping mine, he turned us to face the guests. He waved at them all, as did I, and they stood before us. Edward led me down the steps of the altar, down the aisle as our wedding party followed. He pulled me out of the oak wood doors and down the corridor to the outside where our limo awaited us. We turned and saw that the large crowd had followed. We gave them one last wave as cameras flashed. I looked into the eyes of my family. My mother and father stood at the front, waving back. Renee blew me a kiss and I returned it, tears threatening to fall. Then, Edward helped me into the limo before hopping in himself. The driver closed the door and hurried around to the driver's side. Soon, he pulled off the side of the curb and we were on our way to the reception.

I turned to look at Edward and he pulled me in for another kiss. This time, it wasn't guarded. Now that we were in the privacy of the back of the limo, there was no need to be chaste. I wrapped my arms around his neck, allowing my hands to drift up into his bronze hair. His hands were planted firmly on my waist as if he were afraid I would disappear.

"You are so beautiful," He whispered against my lips. "I love you, my amazing wife."

"And I love you, my wonderful husband."

That was all the talking we did until the limo reached the reception hall. When we felt the limo pull to a stop, we broke apart, gasping for air. Edward leaned his forehead against my own, our noses touching slightly.

"I can't wait for tonight." He smirked slyly.

"Neither can I..." I whispered, giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Can we just skip the reception?" I pleaded.

"We don't want to disappoint our guests, now do we?" He asked with a chuckle. Then, we released each other, adjusting our clothes and I checked my makeup and hair in the reflection of the window. Once we were sure we looked presentable, the driver opened our door. Edward exited the limo before proffering his hand to me to help me out.

He guided me up to the doors, which were then pulled open by the doormen. Everyone was already there, smiling, laughing, and dancing to the music. I looked around in amazement of how many people showed up. When the Cullens planned an event, they went all out. Suddenly, the music was turned down and up on the stage, Emmett grabbed the microphone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen!" He announced. The crowd applauded as we stepped further into the grand room. "And now, they will have their first dance as a married couple." Emmett continued. The crowd '_awwed_' as Edward pulled me to the center of the room, and held me by my waist.

"You promise to not let me fall?" I whispered, looking into his eyes.

"I promise." Edward vowed as the opening of _At Last _by Etta James began to play. He guided me gracefully across the dance floor, his gazed held firmly with mine. I resisted the urge to look down at my feet to ensure that I wouldn't trip or step on his toes. For that moment, it was just us in that room. When the song ended, the crowd applauded once again and the blush made its way to my face. Not a moment later we took our seats at the table designated for our parents and the wedding party. Edward and I were placed in the middle with my parents and bridesmaids on my right and his parents and groomsmen to his left. Emmett was still on the stage with the microphone when a server balancing a tray of champagne walked up to him and offered him a glass. He gladly accepted it as the guest and wedding party were offered a glass as well.

Emmett raised his glass slightly to gain everyone's attention. When everyone quieted down, he spoke. "I believe that as the best man, it is my job to give the first toast. However, as Edward's older brother, it is also my job to embarrass him." He smirked, throwing us a wink. The crowd chuckled as eyes shot in our direction. I turned to Edward with a tiny giggle as he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"Oh God..." He mumbled. I grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before we turned our attention back to Emmett.

"When I was a child," Emmett continued. "I always wanted a little sister. So, I practically begged my parents to give me one for Christmas; I got a bike instead." The guests laughed quietly. "So, that next year I made the same request for a little sister. I was nine-years-old at the time. Imagine my surprise when instead, I got a little brother. " He paused to take a breath and to let the guest absorb his story. An endearing '_awww_' passed over the room. I smiled and rested my head on Edward's shoulder, who was staring at is brother intently, knowing where this story was going.

"I have to admit I was slightly disappointed, but I didn't let it sway me. You see, our mother used to babysit for our neighbors who had a little girl. She kept a few of her clothes in the basement for whenever she would spend the night while her parents were out of town.

"Now this is where the story gets interesting. One day, when Edward was about four-years-old, my parents were out of the house. I snuck down to the basement and retrieved the clothes..." Emmett paused for effect as the crowed let out a teasing _'oooh'_ of anticipation. "I would dress Edward up in those clothes and introduce him as my little sister named Edwina."

The crowd roared with laughter. An embarrassed smile appeared on Edward's face and I giggled, gently kissing him on the cheek. Suddenly he leaned forward and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Not funny, bro!" Edward called towards the stage, earning another laugh.

"Needless to say, when our parents found out, they grounded me." Emmett continued. "But when Alice was born a year later, both Edward and I were extremely excited. A few years later, when Edward and Alice were in high school, I became very nervous. He never had a date, nor did he ever have a girlfriend. I was worried that it was my fault. I started to think he was batting for the other team." The crowed laughed again and Edward's face turned into an expression of shock. I'm guessing Emmett never told him this. When I spotted Carlisle and Esme, they both were looking at him with scolding and embarrassment.

"Long story short, I must admit that even though we would have accepted you no matter your sexual-preference, I am relieved to know that your man-hood is still intact, Eddie boy!" Emmett directed towards my husband. Edward rolled his eyes as a blush started to heat his face. "Now, Bella," Emmett looked at me and I smiled. "You have always been like a sister to me and I'm glad that my brother found you. You two belong together. Congratulations!" The crowd burst into applause and drank to that as Edward and I both smiled, taking a sip from our champagne glasses.

Carlisle was next to give a toast and we watched as Emmett clapped him on the shoulder and handed him the mic.

"Now I'm going to try and make this short. " He started. "When my son introduced me to Isabella, my first thought was, 'How the hell did he manage to get a woman like that?'" The crowd chuckled. "You see, in college my son wasn't really known for being mature and I must say, Isabella had captured Esme and I with her intelligence and maturity. A few months later, they announced their engagement." Carlisle paused and the crowd '_awww-ed_' in adoration. I looked up at Edward, who was smiling down at me, eyes filled with love as he pulled me closer to him. "I knew right then that my son was becoming a man. I can see now how much he has matured since Isabella entered his life and now _our _lives. Isabella," He looked towards me. I smiled and gave a gentle wave. "Even though you have always been like a daughter to Esme and I, we are so happy that now it is true, not only emotionally, but legally as well." I blew him a kiss in gratitude and Carlisle turned his gaze to his son. "Edward, we are so proud of you, son. Congratulations!" Another applause and a sip of champagne all around.

When Carlisle handed the mic off to Jasper, he waved at the crowd and exited the stage. Jasper stepped forward, "Ok, only one more toast before we can get this party started!" The crowd cheered. "Now, I've known Edward and Bella for a while – Edward since high school, and Bella since freshman year of college. Edward and I were like brothers. We always had each other's back and I must admit, we partied...a lot." _Queue laughter. _"When I met Bella, I was giving her a tour around campus. But we never hung out in the same social circles for the very reason that while Edward and I played hard, Bella focused on her studies.

"Then Alice came into my life...and we started dating. Obviously, when Edward found out, I no longer had a place to crash when I was drunk out of my mind." Another champagne induced laugh from the crowd. "But I couldn't blame him, for I was happy that Alice had a very protective brother. Then Bella entered into Edward's life...my how the tables had turned. Bella is like a sister to me, and it was my turn to be the protective older brother." Jasper looked directly at Edward and I. We gave him appreciative smiles. "I soon realized that they were perfect for each other and I am happy for them." He raised his glass up high. "Too the new Mr. and Mrs. Cullen! May your marriage be a lifetime filled with as much joy and love as Alice and mine." The crowd cheered loudly and we downed the champagne.

Jasper placed the microphone back on its stand. Before he had a chance to leave the stage, Emmett quickly ran back up and leaned into the microphone.

"Last minute words of advice for groom that I have learned from my marriage with Rose." Emmett looked our way. "Edward, there are three things to remember; Number one, never let her go to bed angry – you're defenseless when you sleep. " I laughed and Edward chuckled as he shook his head. "Number two, if she says 'do whatever you want to' – You'd better figure out what it is she wants you to do, and fast. And number three, any meal that you don't have to cook is a good one – if you don't have to clean up, it's a great one!" Everyone laughs. "Thanks for you're time! And now, to cut the cake!" Emmett announced before running off the stage.

A huge, five-layer wedding cake was rolled out before us. Edward and I stood up and made our way over to the delectable, decorative dessert. I picked up the knife, with Edward's hand over mine, and we cut into the cake, taking a piece and shoving it into the other's mouth, sealing it with a kiss. Soon, we were surrounded by family and friends congratulating us. Our parents were first as they approached us.

"Oh, Bella dear, don't you look gorgeous." Esme gushed as she pulled me into a hug.

"Thank you," I said graciously and she pulled away. I watched as Carlisle clapped Edward on the shoulder.

"My, my, I have to tell you son. I'm proud of you." He stated, smiling in my direction. Then, he stepped back and gestured to the room around us. "This is quite the turn out."

"Thank you." Edward gave a short nod.

"Honey," Renee pulled me into a tight hug. "You look so beautiful."

"Just like your mother on our wedding day." Charlie added, kissing me on the forehead. I blushed and looked down as he turned to Edward. "Welcome to the family, son." He gave him a firm handshake.

I watched as they interacted as if they were old pals. In the beginning, Renee had welcomed Edward with open arms while Charlie didn't want anything to do with him. I grew up in Forks, Washington while Edward was born and raised in Chicago. I met Edward at Columbia University. He was a double majoring in Business and Finance, and I was a Psychology major. We met through some friends at a frat party and immediately hit it off.

When we started hanging out and getting closer, we realized that we were in love. When I brought Edward home one Christmas, Charlie was quick to make known that he was a cop. He wasn't too fond of Edward, saying how he was no good and how he only wanted the best for his "little girl." I explained to him how Edward was the best for me and I wouldn't have anyone but him. He was my friend, my protector, my love and my life.

Eventually, Charlie started to warm up to Edward and soon he accepted the fact that Edward and I were together. When we announced our engagement, he was happy for us, but still gave Edward the whole, "if you hurt my daughter..." speech. I was sure he would put his shot gun to good use if he ever suspected anything wrong. But, he had nothing to worry about. Edward was and is an amazing man and treats me with the utmost respect, love, and adoration. When we both finished our four years at Columbia, I moved back to Chicago with Edward. Carlisle had paid for my parents to come to the wedding.

"Edward, why don't you and your lovely bride step over here, I have some people I want you to meet." Carlisle suggested. Typical Carlisle Cullen; The promoter and businessman. He was the sole owner of The Cullen Corporation, a very successful, international automobile corporation based in Chicago. In the beginning, Carlisle was innovative and persistent and soon the Cullen name became known all over the world. His success has gained him millions in the automotive industry as well as many investors.

"Alright," Edward agreed, and taking me by the hand, we followed behind his father toward two men dressed in navy blue suits, laughing over something or another. One stood about 6'2" with jet black hair, graying on the sides. The other was about 5'9." He was round, plump, wearing a neat mustache and glasses. When they noticed us approaching, the round one turned to us.

"Ah, Carlisle Cullen," he greeted. "Thank you for the gracious invite."

"My pleasure, Mr. Whitfield." Carlisle responded and looked at the other man with jet black hair. "Aro, glad to see you could make it."

"Well, of course," Aro bolstered. "Who would miss such a marvelous event." He turned to look at Edward and I, holding out his hand. "And this must be the man of the hour," he eyes flickered to me as Edward shook his hand. "...And his new bride."

"Aro Volturi, Mr. Whitfield, I would like you to meet my son Edward and his bride Isabella." Carlisle introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Edward greeted. "May I introduce my wife Isabella." I took that as my queue to smile.

"Delighted to meet you," I said. Aro stepped forward.

"Edward, congratulations, you sure know how to pick them." He said warmly as his eyes shot to mine. "And what a lovely bride you make, dearest Isabella." Aro grabbed up my hand and kissed the back of it. I thanked him and had to prevent from wincing as he stared intently at me. Edward noticed my discomfort and quickly took the attention upon himself.

"Thank you for coming." He diverted. Aro dropped my hand and laughed.

"Not a problem."

"Aro, as you may know, my son is going to be joining me in the industry." Carlisle cut in.

"Yes, yes, how could I not?" Aro nodded.

"Splendid," Mr. Whitfield agreed.

"Edward," Carlisle acknowledged. "If you wish to make it in the business, these are the men you need to know." He gestured towards Whitfield.

"Please, Carlisle," Whitfield started to protest.

"No need for modesty," Carlisle shook his head. "These men helped me get The Cullen Car Corporation off the ground. Aro was the former president of another auto company and Whitfield was his Sales Director. Colleagues of mine,"

"We simply helped get your foot in the door. The rest was all you." Aro chuckled. His laugh was obnoxious and he seemed overly happy.

I was quickly becoming bored with this conversation and nudged Edward. He looked down at me curiously.

"I'm going to get a drink." I said, pointing to the refreshments table.

"Of course, love." He nodded, gently kissing me on the cheek.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," I excused myself and departed. Glasses of champagne were already lined up on the table and I simply picked one up, taking a gulp.

"Bella!" A voice called and I turned to find my bridesmaids approaching me.

"Oh my gosh, you look lovely!" Alice squealed excitedly.

"Thank you," I said.

"And the wedding was just beautiful." Angela added, picking up a glass of her own. Jessica and Lauren smiled at me and pulled me in for hugs.

"We still can't believe that you were able to snag Cullen," Jessica smirked and slapped my shoulder lightly. "You sneaky bitch, I'm so jealous."

For some reason, I didn't know if I should say thank you or be offended.

"Edward has always had good taste," Alice sniffed at them. Lauren shrugged.

"I guess they _are _made for each other." She said. "I mean, he obviously sees something in our little Isabella." Okay, my cousins were not my favorite people in the world, but could they at least say one nice thing to me that didn't have any underlying snide message? On my wedding day? It wasn't even my choice to put them in the wedding. Their mother practically begged me to do it.

"So when are _you_ girls getting married?" Rosalie asked them with a smirk. Both of them glanced at each other silently before taking a sip of their drinks.

Rose smirked as if to say_ "Yeah, that's what I thought."_

I noticed how Alice was the only one without a drink in her hand and I offered her one.

"No thanks," She politely declined. "I can't." Her hand moved to her stomach and I gasped.

"Are you serious?" I asked, eyes wide. Alice smiled widely and nodded excitedly.

"Oh my gosh!" Rosalie and I squealed pulling her into a hug. "How far are you along?" I asked.

"The doctor said about eight weeks!"

"Congratulations!" I said and hugged her once again. Rose, Angela, Jessica, and Lauren smiled and congratulated her as well.

"So, when are there going to be little Edwards running around?" Angela nudged me.

I blushed. "We decided to wait a couple of years before having children. You know? We wanted some time to get settled into married life." I explained. "I'm 23 and he's 24, so we have plenty of time."

"But of course if you're like Jasper and I, that plan might not work out." Alice smirked with a wink.

"Alice!" I protested with a blush. "That was way too much information."

"But, who could blame her?" Jessica asked, raising an eyebrow as she glanced over my shoulder. "If I had a man like that..." She trailed off.

"Bella, honey!" The velvet voice of my husband called. The girls giggled as they watched him walk our way.

"We'll see you later." And with that, they left. I turned and watched as Edward made his way towards me. Without warning, he picked me up by my waist and spun me around.

"What's gotten into you?" I questioned with a laugh.

"I'm in!" he exclaimed. "My father just gave me the position as Chief Marketing Officer of the company."

I squealed. "Honey, that's great!" I kissed him firmly on the lips.

"Exactly," He smiled. "Pretty soon we'll be living the life we've always wanted."

I was so proud of him. Edward has always been a hard worker and he deserved this job position. Even though the Cullens were wealthy, they prided themselves in good work ethic. Esme and Carlisle made Edward, Emmett and Alice get jobs while in high school, whether it was working at a restaurant for tips or retail. The bottom line was that they had to have jobs. Edward may have been born with the silver spoon in his mouth, but it didn't necessarily mean the spoon belonged to him. Of course, his parents still supported him and had money saved up for him, but once he graduated college he was on his own. And now that we were married, we would have to live off of our own income.

We danced to a few more songs, some slow and some upbeat, and afterwards we mingled with the guest. I danced with my father while Edward danced with Esme. A couple of hours passed and we were anxious to get out of there. When we announced our departure, everyone wished us well and congratulated us once more before we left the reception hall to our limo.

"So, where are we going?" I asked once the driver shut our door.

"Well, first we are going to stay at the Palmer House Hilton, and then we have a plane to catch tomorrow morning." He answered, taking my hand in his and squeezing it tightly. I perked up.

"To where?" I questioned. Edward shook his head, his green eyes glinting mischievously.

"Oh no, that's a surprise." He stated. I smiled and gave him a big, smacking kiss on the lips.

_**Three Months Later...**_

Edward's hands covered my eyes as he guided me forward. I rested my hands against his as I giggled.

"What is this all about?" I asked. Edward had driven us out to Highland Park, Illinois. Of course, that was all I knew, for he had blind folded me until we reached our destination.

"You'll see, my love." Edward said. We walked forward a few more steps before coming to a stop. "Okay," Edward whispered. "Now." He removed his hands from over my eyes, allowing me to peer at the sight before me. I gasped.

"Oh my..." I was looking up at a stunning, contemporary home. Just by looking at the outside, I could tell it was the perfect home for us.

"Isn't it great?" Edward asked as we walked up the driveway towards the stone steps.

"Edward, this is amazing." I breathed, looking at the expansive green lawn before trailing my eyes over the stone of the house.

"And it's ours." Edward confirmed. I turned to look at him, shocked.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Very. Everything has been paid for and we can move in at anytime." He explained. "This is our dream home."

"Oh, Edward," I sighed as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled my back against his chest.

He kissed the back of my neck sensually and then my shoulder, whispering, "Can you believe it? A home of our own. No more living in that cramped apartment." He rested his chin against my shoulder. "Imagine, me coming home from work with you standing right there," he pointed to the front door. "To greet me; our kids running and playing on the lawn with the dog – We'll have two or three."

"Dogs?" I teased.

Edward raised an eyebrow with humor at me and shook his head. "Children, Bella. We're finally getting our dream!"

"You are the most amazing man I have ever met." I whispered, turning my head to kiss him on the lips as I rested my palm against his cheek. Suddenly he picked me up bridal style.

"Let's check it out, shall we?" He encouraged with a chuckle, giving us a spin before racing into the house. I laughed happily as he carried me over the threshold before planting me firmly on the hardwood floor. I instantly felt at home.

Edward went on to describe it to me we walked through the spacious home and I stared in awe; Two stories with a basement, 3,695 square feet, hardwood floors, expansive sized five bedrooms, and three and a half bathrooms. The master bedroom suite was on the second floor with a sitting room, office, fireplace and an enclosed porch that over looked Lake Michigan. The bathroom was huge with a shower and whirlpool bath. The kitchen was made for a chef, with granite countertops, built-in appliances and a fireplace. The basement was turned into a mirrored home gym with wet bar, and workroom. The fifth bedroom with a full bathroom was also in the basement. The tour ended back in the empty living room.

Obviously, this house was luxurious as well as perfect for a family.

"How can we afford all this?" I asked as the thought hit me.

"Well, Carlisle was generous enough to loan me a good some, plus my savings from my trust fund. And though I've only been working for a few months, I used most of it to pay for the house." Edward shrugged nonchalantly.

"How much did it cost?" I asked nervously.

"Close to 800,000 dollars." He replied honestly, and winced, waiting for my reaction. And he wasn't disappointed.

"Edward! We can't afford this!" I protested.

"Bella, trust me." Edward gripped my shoulders, looking me in the eyes. "Everything is fine. I told you everything has been paid for."

"But,"

"Please, Bella." Edward begged, leaning his forehead against my own. "This is it. We can finally start our lives together. This is what we've always wanted. We are living our dream; you can't put a price on that."

I thought about for a moment, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. I raised an eyebrow as I looked up at him. "Everything is paid for?" I asked for confirmation.

"Everything besides property taxes and bills," Edward assured. "But, of course, we have to pay those anyway."

I bit my lip. There really wasn't much I could do was there? The house was already paid for, it's not like we can turn around and sell it quickly; Especially in this economy. It really is a lovely home and what we've always dreamed of. So, without any more doubts, I nodded my head enthusiastically.

"Okay," I said. "Let's move in."

Edward looked down into my eyes; his shining with happiness. He smiled widely at me before picking me up and spinning me around, laughing. Once he placed me back on the floor, he kissed me firmly on the lips.

"I love you." He stated with devotion.

"I love you too." I replied and kissed him again, wrapping my arms around his neck and he pulled me closer until our bodies were aligned. We could finally start our lives together, Edward and I. We would fulfill our dreams and raise a family.

We would have our happily ever after.

Or so I thought…

**A/N**: I know it was long for a first chapter, but tell me what you think! Should I continue?

_**REVIEW!**_

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Alrighty, here's the next chapter! I wanted to wait a full week, but I'm too excited. Hope you like it!

**BIG Thanks to** **SUNFLOWER3759 for the time and effort that she has put into this. She has done a super job Beta-ing this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: **Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and its characters!

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><p><em><strong>6 Years Later... <strong>_

**BPOV**

"What about India?" I suggested. "I've always wanted to visit the Taj Mahal." I leaned to my right and presented the travel magazine to my good friend, Shuree, in order to show her the beautiful picture of Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra.

"Hmmm..." Shuree hummed as she looked away from her own magazine to the one I held in my hands. She leaned in closer to me as she examined the photo before tilting her head to the side with a dubious look. "Looks amazing, but don't you want something fun and romantic at the same time?" She glanced at me curiously with her light brown eyes, before sitting up straight and returning her gaze back to the travel brochure she was holding.

"India can be fun and romantic." I responded with a pout as I looked at the page. "It says here that Shah Jahan, known as Prince Khurram, fell in love and married the beautiful Arjumand Bana Begum. She was christened by Shah Jahan as Mumtaz Mahal, meaning 'Jewel of the Palace.' The Taj Mahal was built in dedication to her." I paused and sighed. "How romantic is that?"

Shuree raised an eyebrow as she glanced at me from the corner of her eye. Then, she leaned over to read more. "It also says that she was his third wife." She deadpanned. Then, she looked at me and added with sarcasm, "Yes, very romantic." She returned to her brochure. I rolled my eyes and sighed reaching for my glass of Stonewall Sauvignon Blanc wine.

I took a sip before placing it back on the table between us and continued to flip through the magazine. Shuree and I were currently lounging outside on the veranda facing the lake in the back of the house. We both wore sundresses, I was wearing a sun hat, and she was wearing a pair of shades on top of her head. She was trying to help me find the perfect vacation spot for our sixth anniversary that was coming up in a few weeks. Edward, Alice and Rose were all busy, so it was just Shuree here to help.

I have known Shuree Evans for almost as long as Edward and I have been married.

We met just after Edward and I started furnishing our new home. I was walking through the spacious dining room section of Arhaus Furniture store, attempting to select a table. I was overwhelmed by the huge selection; all the pieces were so lovely. Edward had to be at work that day, but he gave me his American Express card and told me to purchase whatever I wanted. His only warning was no pink anywhere in the house...I think I could live with that.

_I had spotted an Arvada table top with an Arabesque base. It was a beautiful hardwood with a dramatic multi-tonal grain._

"_Ooh, that's nice." A voice commented. I turned to find a young, deep brown skinned woman admiring the same dining piece. She stood about 5'6" with short dark brown hair, light brown eyes, thick lashes, and full lips. She ran her manicured hand over the wood of the table. She finally looked up at me. "Are you remodeling your dining room?"_

_I blinked a couple of times before I found my voice. "Actually, my husband and I just bought a new home and we're trying to furnish it."_

"_How lovely." The woman commented._

"_Yes, but I'm kind of doing this on my own, so I'm pretty lost." I admitted. "What about you?"_

"_I'm actually doing a little remodeling for a client of mine. She's currently out of town, but I've been emailing her some suggestions." The woman stated with a shrug__,__before sticking out her hand. "Shuree Evans, Interior Design extraordinaire." She introduced with a warm smile._

_I shook her hand. "Bella Cullen..." I paused trying to figure out my title. "I don't really have a job just yet, but I've been married for two months." I explained with a shrug._

"_Aw, congratulations!" Shuree praised. "If you want, I could help you?"_

"_Really?" I asked. "I don't want to interrupt your work."_

"_Girl, please, it's fine." Shuree reassured._

That was the beginning of a great friendship. Shuree ended up helping me decorate the entire house. To say that she had talent would be an understatement. The woman could walk into a room and know exactly what to do with it within the first three minutes. I valued her opinion and advice in any decorating that I did. Over the years we have become really close friends outside of home decor. Shuree is a beautiful, confident, intelligent woman who is not afraid to speak her mind. Lucky for me, I've never been on the receiving end of her spitfire attitude whenever she had something to say.

Shuree would usually spend time with Alice, Rose and I. They really enjoyed her company as well. Of course, she and Rose have butted heads a few times, but they soon realized that they were evenly matched when it came to their personalities. Now, whenever they felt that something, or someone was wrong, they would tag team, taking turns in a verbal attack. Trust me, trying to go up against just one of them was challenge in itself, but _both_? That's just one battle you would not win. So, I make sure to always stay on their good side.

I didn't realize how deep in thought I was until Shuree nudged my shoulder and shoved a brochure in my face.

"What about France?" She suggested, pointing to a picture of the Eiffel Tower.

"Been there." I sighed. Shuree pulled the brochure away and inspected it.

"Girl, is there a place you haven't been?" She teased.

"Well let's see," I said, biting my lip in thought. "Edward and I honeymooned in Rome. Then over the years, on our anniversaries, we have been to Hawaii, Paris, London, The Bahamas; and Sydney, Australia." I listed. When I looked towards Shuree, I noticed her stunned expression and laughed. "What?"

"With all that traveling you do, it's no wonder you're having trouble trying to find a place to vacation now." Shuree smirked before picking up her wine glass and taking a sip. She placed it back on the table before saying, "You've practically got all of the popular vacation spots covered."

"I know right?" I agreed.

"But I guess when you're living the lavish lifestyle of a Cullen," Shuree sighed. "..._It's to be expected_." She sang, looking out at the lake. She leaned back into her chair, fanning herself with the brochure. I didn't respond at first, thinking about what she had just said.

"Yeah, I guess..." I murmured, looking back at the magazine. At my words, Shuree sat up and looked at me.

"Are you ok?" She questioned with concern.

"I'm fine." I replied with confusion. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm just worried about ya'." She said, patting me on the leg. "You're always cooped up in this house all day by yourself with nothing to do."

I quickly snatched up my glass of wine and took another sip to calm my nerves. After a moment I finally said, "I'm not alone...and I don't sit in the house all day."

_Denial is not just a river in Egypt._

"So what do you do?" Shuree asked skeptically.

"Well," I mused. "Sometimes I go to the bookstore to buy something new to read. Also, I like to..." I thought for a moment. _What else do I like to do? _"Oh," I snapped my fingers. "I also joined a book club. Every Wednesday we meet to discuss whatever book we are reading. Currently, it's _The Secret Life of Bees _by Sue Monk Kidd." I spoke with excitement.

Shuree looked at me with bewilderment. "You're not serious."

"What?" I asked, not seeing the problem.

"A book club? Next you're going to tell me you host tea parties and serve finger sandwiches."

I didn't satisfy her with a response and just looked down at my wine glass.

"What about that B.A. you have in Psychology?"

"I can't really do much until I get a doctoral degree." I mused.

Shuree clapped once. "There you go! Why don't you focus on that?"

"Edward and I haven't really discussed it." I shrugged.

"And...?" Shuree pushed.

"He'll be the one who will have to pay for it."

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that money is the issue?" She asked, pursing her lips. "Because if so, the last time I checked, you guys are married. Marriage means that his money is your money."

"Yes, but I don't usually keep track of all the expenses." I admitted. "Besides, I'm 29-years-old. By the time I'm finished getting my doctorate I'll be in my mid 30's, and people are usually at the height of their careers at that point."

"So you just spend your days doing frivolous activities until your husband returns home at whatever time he wants?" Shuree asked.

"It's really not as bad as you make it out to be." I defended.

"If you say so..." Shuree sighed. It was silent for a moment before she smiled. "Enough with the heavy, I just figured out the perfect place for you to go for your anniversary."

"Where?"

"Barcelona, Spain." She said with a smirk.

I considered it. "You know? We actually haven't been there yet. It's a beautiful place with a beautiful culture."

"Not to mention the beautiful men." Shuree commented playfully.

"Please, I'm married." I scoffed, held up my left hand.

"I'm not." Shuree shrugged. "Ooh, if I could get me a fine European, I would be in heaven." She expressed. "Someone to hold me close and whisper sweet nothings in my ear. Oh, and the dancing..." Shuree stood and started sashaying. I watched her and giggled. "Come on, girl, dance." She encouraged and pulled me up from my chair.

"Uh, no thanks." I laughed. "And what you need to do is settle down with someone."

"Please, marriage is not for everybody. Besides, I like my independence and I do not need marriage to be happy." She continued to dance until we were interrupted by a knock. We turned and found the butler, Myles, waiting patiently in the doorway of the veranda. I smiled.

"Yes?"

"Mrs. Alice Hale has arrived, Mrs. Cullen." He explained.

"Thanks, Myles. Send her this way." I requested. Just as he turned to leave, I stopped him. "And, please, call me Bella." I tried. He nodded and left, but I knew he wouldn't. Ever since we hired him, no matter how many times I told him that, he never did. Edward didn't see it as a problem, for he was addressed as Mr. Cullen most of the time anyway. It wasn't long before Alice appeared in the doorway and I rushed over to give her a hug.

"Alice!" I squealed happily as my arms wrapped around her petite frame.

"Hello, Bella." She greeted just as eagerly. She looked over my shoulder and smiled. "Hey, Shuree."

"Hola, Alice." Shuree greeted, attempting a Spanish accent. It sounded like oh-lah, Ah-lees. Alice looked at me with confusion and I shook my head.

"Don't ask."

Alice let out a tinkling laugh, shaking her head at the silliness. "Anyway, I have a dress choice for you to wear for the event tonight." She spoke excitedly. "We have to start getting you ready."

"But, it's only noon." I said.

"Exactly. We have to make sure you look absolutely perfect, considering you'll be the center of attention along with Edward." Alice explained.

"Right..." I sighed. "Shuree, will you be joining us?" I questioned, turning to face her.

"Actually, I have an appointment with a client and I can't be late." Shuree answered, grabbing her purse and downing the rest of her wine. "It's just too good to waste." She clarified, showing us her empty glass with a chuckle.

"Alright, but you will be there, yes?"

"Of course, girly, I wouldn't miss it." Shuree assured, slipping on her wedged heels. "If you see a sexy Spaniard looking for good time, tell him Shuree Evans is available and send him my way!"

"Will do!" I joked.

"Later, chicas." She bid, blowing us kisses before disappearing through the doors.

"Bye!" We called. After a minute, Alice turned to me.

"So, what was that all about?" She asked.

"She was just helping me pick out a vacation spot for my anniversary."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Well, let's get started!" She grabbed my hand, pulling me into the house. "I just know you'll love the dress I picked out for you. And trust me, Edward will not be able to keep his eyes off of you. As if that's ever been a problem..." She rolled her eyes as she pushed me up the stairs towards the master bedroom suite.

This room was probably the only room that Edward made any contribution in decorating. The colors chosen were mostly soft, pastel tones.

Once we entered the room, I spotted two dresses lying in a garment bag on the bed.

"Come, come, come." Alice encouraged. "Sit, sit, sit!" She gently pushed me onto the decorative vanity bench against the wall. She quickly picked up a bag, revealing a lovely ivory colored,one shoulder, cocktail dress. It had silver lines of sequined detailing on the front and stopped at about mid-thigh. The one sleeve was meant to drape loosely down the arm.

"Go try it on." She demanded.

"How's the family?" I asked as I started to change.

"They're fine. Jasper has been working overtime at the hospital and Sarah just started kindergarten."

"Aww..." I gushed. Sarah was Alice's five-year-old daughter. She was so precious with her big blue eyes and long, dark, curly hair. "How did that go?" I asked as I slipped on the dress.

"She refused to let go of Jasper's leg and begged him to go with her." Alice giggled. "It was so cute. We decided we would sit in class with her, but once she started playing with the other kids, she completely forgot we were there."

I turned and smoothed out the dress. Alice inspected as she tapped her chin in thought.

"It fits nicely," she commented as she circled me. She adjusted the sleeve and stood back. "Perfect!"

Once I changed back, she quickly guided me to the bathroom to start on hair and make-up.

"How's Edward?"

"He's fine." I answered. "He's been working extra hours in order to get everything done before we go on vacation. That's the best part about being your own boss, you don't have to request time off. You just take it. But, you know Edward. He wants to make sure everything will run smoothly while he's away."

"Of course he does..." Alice rolled her eyes as she placed her make-up bag on the counter. "That brother of mine always finds something or another to worry about. He's a perfectionist."

"You must be forgetting who lives with him." I said. "I feel bad for the housekeeper. She does her work really well and makes sure the house is spotless, yet he always finds something to fuss at her about. "

"She still works here?" Alice questioned. I nodded.

"Surprising, I know, but she puts up with us." I watched as Alice pulled my hair back from my face. "I really appreciate all that she does. She's really nice."

The next few hours were filled with mindless chatter as Alice primped and pampered me. She curled and pinned up my hair before applying my makeup. She handed me a pair of fabulous Michael Antonia open-toe pumps that fit perfectly. Next she presented me with a pair of crystal, linear earrings that sparkled like diamonds.

By the time she was finished we still had couple more hours before we had to leave. Alice then grabbed the other garment bag off the bed and pulled out her dress and got ready.

She was wearing a black, lace cocktail dress. The tiers drew the eye to the sleeves and hem of the dress. Her dark hair stopped an inch above her shoulders, styled with waves. Her bangs were side-swept. A pair of silver heart shaped earrings and black, peep-toe heels completed the look.

We had just finished when we heard a knock on the door. Alice froze before she held up her hands to stop me from going anywhere.

"Stay right here." She requested and left the bathroom. I heard her heels as they clacked against the floor and the sound the door swinging open.

"Are you ladies ready?" I smiled at the sound of Edward's voice as I heard him enter the room. I could just imagine him with his hands behind his back, analyzing the situation within the room

"Yup," Alice said. "Is Jasper here?"

"Yes, he's downstairs waiting for you. Emmett and Rosalie will meet us there."

"Great, now leave!"

_What? _I panicked. _No, don't go! _I whined mentally.

"What?" Edward objected. Gosh, how I love him. "Wait a minute-"

"You'll ruin the surprise. Now go wait with Jazz." I listened as Alice pushed him out the room and closed the door. It was a minute before she returned to the bathroom. Her head popped around the corner and she waved for me to come out.

"Let's go." Alice said and stood me up. We left my bedroom and she pulled me towards the stairs. "She's ready!" She called. As we stood at the top of the staircase, Edward and Jasper appeared at the bottom, waiting patiently with their hands behind their back. Jasper wore a charcoal black Calvin Klein suit with a matching dress shirt and tie. He looked handsome, but my main focus was for the man standing next to him.

There he stood, gazing up at me, wearing a metal grey, one-button Emporio Armani suit. His bronze hair neatly combed. I noticed his indecipherable expression and immediately became self-conscious as Alice and I descended thestairs; however, when I had a few steps left, he smiled alluringly at me and held out his hand for mine. I accepted it and watched in awe as he kissed the back of it.

"You look beautiful..." He complimented before pulling me to his side. I blushed and ducked my head only to have him place a finger under my chin and lift my face up to look at his. "Shall we?" He asked and suavely held out his arm.

"We shall..." I smiled and hooked my arm in his and we exited the house to the limo waiting for us in the driveway.

The McCormick Place Chicago Convention Center was decorated perfectly for the Cullen Corp. car launch. The spacious showroom was filled with tables and chairs, elegantly adorned with ivory, linen table cloths, and decorative candelabrasplaced in the center of each one. The room was packed with people, most of themwearing designer suits and gowns, and excitement filled the course, no one wanted to miss this three hour event that would begin at 7 pm. It was a private showing, so the only people present were those who received special invitations.

I had already taken my seat at the table close to the stage, front and center, alongwith the rest of the Cullen clan. There was an empty seat next to me reserved for Edward, who was busy preparing for his presentation. After we had arrived together, he was immediately pulled away and I was guided to our designated table. All of us looked on with pride as guest came up to greet us. They commented on how excited they were to see the new creation that the Cullen Corporation had decided to unveil to the public.

We kindly thanked them, posing as the perfect family, with our shoulders back and heads held high. Not a hair out of place. This is what usually happened whenever there was an event. It took a while for me to get used to it, since I was so uncomfortable bythe constant attention. I had to make sure that I was presentable at every turn. Soon, I was making fewer and fewer mistakes to the point where even if I did slip up, like using the wrong fork at dinner, it went unnoticed.

Everyone was on their best behavior, especially now since this had to be one of the most important car launches for the Cullen Auto Corporation in two years. I sat patiently as I glanced around the room, hoping to see some sign of Edward nearby. I spotted the table where the main Cullen Corp employees sat, such as Aro Volturi and Mr. Whitfield. When they caught me staring they gave me a respectful nod, which I returned before searching elsewhere. At another table that seated eight guests, I spotted Shuree. I waved slightly at her, happy that she had made it and she smiled before turning to animatedly converse with someone beside her. My search was in vain for I didn't see Edward anywhere. When the lights dimmed, I immediately directed my attention towards the stage.

His green eyes stared intently out at the crowd as they gave him their undivided attention. I was just as captivated. He just had an air about him that commanded the attention of any room he was in. When he caught my eye, he winked at me. My heart fluttered like I was some sixteen year old girl with a star struck obsession and I was suddenly desperate to be near him. I blew him a kiss before he could look away and counted the seconds until I would be able to stand by his side once again. The room was deathly quiet and I bit my lip in anticipation.

"Good evening," His velvet voice echoed throughout the room. His mic was conveniently clipped to the collar of his suit, but it wasn't noticeable. "And welcome to the 2011 Cullen Corporation Auto Launch." An applause erupted throughout the room and I clapped along with them as I admired my husband. Camera flashes went off. When the room quieted down, he continued. "It's my pleasure to stand before you tonight with what will definitely be the most revolutionizing development in the Corporation's history." He paused for effect, letting the crowd absorb his words. He walked to one part of the stage and placed his hand in his pocket while he used the other to cup his chin. He looked down at the floor to get his thoughts together. One thing about Edward, he never used a teleprompter. That man was just that good. His charm and charisma allowed him to stand in front of a crowd and know exactly what he was going to say next.

"Speaking of which, let me give you a little history on how it all began." He looked up at the crowd and then turned slightly to direct our attention to the big screen behind him. The first slide was a picture of a small auto shop with the words _Cullen Auto _displayed at the top of the building in cursive. "My father, Carlisle Cullen founded the company in 1979 at the young age of 21." The slide switched to a picture of a young Carlisle standing in front of first car manufactured by his company. "That year, he had presented the Cullen 28c with a 2.8 liter V-6 engine. Twenty-one thousand were manufactured, and he sold more than half of them nationwide. It wasn't long before Cullen Auto turned into Cullen Corp. and cars were sold internationally." Edward was walking slowly up and down the stage. Every once and a while he would look at the crowd, and sometimes he would look down at his shoes in thought as he strolled.

Suddenly, Edward stood still in the center of a stage and turned to face the audience. "A couple years back, my father suffered a heart attack at the age of 50..." It was at this very moment that I wished I was standing next to him for support. But, I knew that we were the only ones who could see he was strugglingwith this. To everyone else, he appeared to be fine with speaking about it, but we knew how he really felt. I glanced at Esme who had tears in her eyes as she gazed up at her son. I watched as Carlisle wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, causing her to look him in the eyes with so much love and passion. I felt like I was invading on a private moment and quickly looked away. Glancing around the table, I noticed that the entire family had solemn expressions on their faces.

"It was a tragic day for my family and for the company because we feared the worst." Edward continued. "Those months Carlisle took to recover were the toughest times our family has had to endure..." Edward stared fixedly at our table. "When I found out about his early retirement and that he left the company to me, I knew I had to step up and get it back on its feet." He looked out at the audience and stated passionately, "And here we are today, three years later, to present to you the future of Cullen Corporation!"

The crowd applauded with cheers.

"Hell yeah!" Emmett bellowed proudly, earning a laugh from the audience. Emmett playfully nudged Carlisle's arm.

"I have to say that the inspiration my family, provided me was of great assistance, especially my lovely wife Isabella." Edward announced. "As a matter of fact," he looked to our table. "Why don't you all stand and let the audience give you a round of applause." He suggested. "Please, stand." Another applause erupted around the room as we all stood and waved slightly. I blushed and quickly took my seat when we were able to.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Edward grinned.

"Aw, man, Eddie, I'm blushing!" Emmett called, resting his arm on the back of Rosalie's chair. Queue laughter.

It was no secret that Edward really knew how to work a crowd. As I said before, he didn't even need a teleprompter. Anything he said, everyone would follow with pure dedication. That's just who he is; A true businessman...a crowd pleaser.

After the room became silent, Edward went on to explain the specifics of the new car. He explained the engine, the horsepower, and the fuel efficiency. I understood a few things that we had discussed when he was designing the model, catching bits and pieces such as a "1000 horsepower engine" and "a top speed of 220 miles per hour." To say the crowed was amazed would be an understatement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I finally present to you the 2011 Olympia VG." Edward stood aside, his hand stretched out as the curtain behind him rose up to reveal the reason why everyone was here. The dark curtain rose to reveal the sleek, glossy, midnight blue, four-door sports car. My heart swelled with pride as I gazed upon the magnificent piece of machinery. Sure, this car was spectacular, but what made it even more unique was the color. Midnight blue was the color used in our wedding, and it was the one I had chosen when Edward asked for my opinion.

Gasps were heard around us as everyone gazed at the car. The center part of the stage slowly rotated to give everyone a 360 degree view. The chrome on the rims of the tire gleamed in the spotlight. At the front of the car, in the center of the hood, as well as on the trunk was the Cullen Crest. The "VG" stood for Vampiro Group, which is the new line of sports cars that were now being produced.

"This car, believe it or not, is a family-friendly model to our sports car lineup." Edward announced, earning a short applause. "This model is something that Carlisle had dreamed of for many years. And it's great to know that it has finally become a reality." His voice echoed.

Queue resounding applause.

* * *

><p>"Do you understand how difficult it was for me to focus with you sitting right in front of me, dressed the way you are?" Edward whispered as he pulled me closer by the waist.<p>

As soon as everyone was allowed to mingle and get close and personal views of the car, I immediately made my way over to Edward. He was walking down the steps of the stage when I launched myself into his arms and complimented him on how well he did. Edward had buried his face into my neck, kissing it chastely before we pulled apart, but he kept me close by his side as we mingled with the guest. We had to keep things professional. To be honest, all I really wanted was to take him into a backroom and have my wicked way with him. There was just something about him dressed in a suit that drove me wild.

"Alice picked out the dress." I confirmed.

"Remind me to thank her." He smirked just as Aro and Mr. Whitfield walked up to us. They had retired around the same time Carlisle had. "Mr. Volturi, Mr. Whitfield." Edward nodded towards both of them. He shook their hands firmly with his right before returning it to his pocket casually. His other hand was still on my waist. The men greeted me and I returned it.

"Ah, Edward, I have to say, this turned out better than I expected." Mr. Whitfield complimented.

"Thank you, sir."

"And what a marvelous piece of machinery you've got there!" Aro marveled, looking towards the stage. A crowd of people stood around the Olympia VG36, some actually sitting inside to get the feel of it.

"Well, we produce nothing but the best." Edward boasted.

"Mr. Cullen!"

We all turned to find a young woman with tan skin, wearing a green formfitting dress, approaching us. She had long platinum blonde hair that stopped just above her waist and bright blue eyes that peaked from under her long eyelashes. She wore a smile that showed off her perfectly straight, pearly white teeth. I had to admit that she was gorgeous and I immediately felt a little inadequate standing next to her tall, shapely frame.

"Tanya," Edward greeted, releasing my waist to give her a hug. Even though it lasted a mere second, I couldn't help the possessiveness rising inside of me as I watched the exchange. Who was this woman? And why were they on the first name basis?

"You must be Isabella, Edward's wife." Tanya turned to me and stuck out her hand. "I've heard so much about you."

_Funny, because I haven't heard anything about _you_._

I didn't want to shake her hand, but I doubted Edward would have appreciated my rudeness and jealously in front of so many important people. So, I took her hand in mine, gave it a short shake before I quickly released it.

"Charmed, I'm sure." I replied with a half-smile and standing closer to Edward. He wrapped his arm around my waist, squeezing my side just a bit. Tanya's eyes flickered down to the gesture but quickly shot up to meet mine. _That's right, bitch. He's mine._

"Bella, Aro, Whitfield..." Edward looked at us. "I would like you to meet Tanya Denali, our newest member of the Cullen Corp family. She is the new CFO."

Aro and Mr. Whitfield greeted her politely, stating how wonderful it was to have her as part of the team. Without hesitation, they excused themselves, stating that they had an engagement elsewhere. I immediately returned my attention to Tanya and crossed my arms over my chest.

"So, you're the new CFO?" I asked.

"Yes, Edward and I will be working very closely together." She explained.

I didn't like the sound of that at all and looked up at Edward for clarification.

"She means in the sales department." He confirmed. "She previously worked for General Motors at the New York subdivision as a sales advisor."

"Oh really?" I pretended to be interested. "What made you decide to leave?"

"I really don't like to point out flaws in other businesses, but let's just say it was very limiting." Tanya said. "I didn't have room to expand within the industry."

"Oh," I expressed. I secretly continued to analyze her, but unfortunately I could not find a single flaw. She was perfect; professional, polite, motivated...everything she should be and I didn't like it one bit.

Suddenly, my handbag started to vibrate and Edward and Tanya looked at me curiously. I blushed and pulled out my iPhone 4.

_9:00 pm._

"Nine o'clock." I stated to Edward, who nodded knowingly. "If you two will excuse me," With that, I made my way to the ladies room. On the way there, I grabbed a glass of water.

Once inside, I placed my bag on the granite counter and pulled out my birth control pills. I quickly popped one in my mouth before washing it down with the glass of water. I have been on birth control since Edward and I were married. At the time, we didn't want to worry about little mini-me's running around so I had to visit a clinic to get a prescription. They prescribed me pills that I had to take once every day at around the same time. Because I tend to be forgetful, I set an alarm on my phone to remind me. Six years later, I'm still taking them.

Suddenly, just as I had placed the pills back into my purse, the door swung open and in walked Alice, Rose, and Shuree.

"Hey, girls." I greeted, giving them each a hug.

"Hey, Bella." They greeted simultaneously before taking their positions in front of the mirrors. They started adjusting their gowns and reapplying their makeup.

"Is it that time again?" Shuree asked as she leaned in closer to the mirror to fix her lipstick.

"Yup," I sighed.

"You're still taking them?" Rose asked, surprised. "I figured you would have stopped by now..." Her tone was soft as she tried to express her point delicately. They knew it was a touchy subject for me.

"Edward and I just haven't discussed it."

Funny, that seemed to be my excuse for anything that hasn't happened in my life that should have happened.

"I feel like there are a lot of things you and Edward haven't discussed." Shuree commented. She began adjusting the clear, crystal adorned, mesh straps of the bodice. Her ink colored, cocktail dressed was shaped by crisscrossed pleating. She glanced at my reflection in the mirror.

"I'm sure they just haven't got around to it." Alice said. "You know how Edward is when it comes to the Corporation." She shrugged.

"True, but when you begin to put the business before you wife..." Rose countered. I stared at all them, surprised that they even had the audacity to comment on my marriage life.

"I can't believe we are even having this conversation." I expressed with embarrassment. "Edward and I are fine. He doesn't put the business before our relationship. He's always there when I need him." I defended.

Shuree opened her mouth as if to say something, but quickly shut it and returned to primping. I was glad that she kept whatever she had to say to herself. Because, even though it wasn't any of their business, I knew that there was some truth to what they were saying. I just chose to be blissfully ignorant. There was no need to cause any moredrama than necessary.

Once we finished making sure we looked presentable, the four of usexited the ladies room and immediately headed over to the beverage table for a drink. Everyone grabbed a glass of champagne, except Rosalie. We eyed her suspiciously.

"What?" She asked defensively.

"Is there something you want to tell us?" Alice inquired with smile.

"No." Rose denied, crossing her arms over her chest. We left it alone, taking a sip from our glasses before looking around at the mingling guest. At the same time, we spotted Edward chatting with a few employees, Tanya at his side. They were across the room, so we couldn't hear them over the noise of the crowd. Edward must have said something funny for we watched as Tanya laughed, smacking his arm playfully before taking a sip from her champagne glass.

"Who is that?" Shuree questioned. Alice and Rose turned to me.

"That would be Tanya Denali, the new Chief Financial Officer." I explained dryly.

"I'm guessing you already met her." Rose confirmed. "So, what's wrong with her?"

"That's just it," I sighed in frustration. "I could not find one thing negative about her. She's flawless!"

"She does have good taste in fashion." Alice commented, eyeing Tanya's black, Jimmy Choo platform pumps. Alice turned and noticed the _'Are you serious?'_ looks we were giving her. She shrugged, "Well, she does." We rolled our eyes.

"Well, she sure seems to be fitting in just fine." Shuree pointed out. We watched as Edward and Tanya stood next to each other, chatting animatedly. They were a safe distance apart, but still too close for my liking. "It seems like he's known her for a while. I thought she was new." Shuree continued.

"She is." I said, a little unsure.

"And when exactly did you meet her?" Rose asked, not taking her eyes off of them.

"Tonight."

"Did you know Edward was going to hire a new CFO?" Alice questioned.

"No..." I admitted slowly.

Shuree clicked her tongue, calculating, and pursed her lips. "Hmph..." She hummed shortly before taking a sip of her drink without another word. That was her way of saying that she already had her opinion on the situation, and it wasn't in Tanya's favor.

"Look, girls, I know it seems a little..." I paused to find the right word.

"Odd?" Rose suggested.

"Awkward?" Alice offered.

"Inappropriate." Shuree deadpanned.

"I was going to say _interesting_..." I stated with an eye roll. "But, she seems like adecent woman. Let's try not to pass too much judgment on her. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Rose and Alice nodded.

"No." Shuree voiced, her gaze locked on Edward and Tanya. We looked at her curiously. "I don't like her." She clarified.

"But you haven't met her." I pointed out.

"I can tell by the way she looks, she's no good." Shuree left it at that, and continued to drink her champagne. No one said anything else about the situation as we continued to watch them bounce around the room from table to table, greeting everyone with smiles and handshakes. And I wondered…

Why wasn't I the one at Edward's side?

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><p><strong>AN:** **_Comments are always welcome!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Here it is, another chapter! Thanks for the comments on the other chapters! And thank you so much to those of you who added this to story alert and/or favorites.

_**Once again, SUNFLOWER3759 has done a wonderful job editing this story! She is a GREAT Beta!**_

**Disclaimer**: Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga and its characters.

* * *

><p><strong>Previously...<strong>

_"I can tell by the way she looks, she's no good." Shuree left it at that, and continued to drink her champagne. No one said anything else about the situation as we continued to watch them bounce around the room from table to table, greeting everyone with smiles and handshakes. And I wondered…_

_Why wasn't I the one at Edward's side?_

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><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

At ten, the event ended and everyone was loading up to leave. Alice and Jasper congratulated Edward once more before hopping into their yellow sports car, compliments of the company, and speeding off. Emmett and Rosalie did the same, except they drove an SUV with the Cullen label. Of course the family would only drive cars produced by their own company, it made sense. It was great advertisement and Carlisle and Edward had made sure that the family had the best transportation. Esme hugged us both, kissing us on the cheek before she slid into the back seat of her limo. Carlisle followed suit after hugging me and giving Edward firm handshake, saying, "I'm proud of you, son."

When Edward and I were comfortably seated in the back of our stretch limousine, the driver pulled out onto the busy Chicago streets to take us home.

The ride was silent for a while, with me resting my head tiredly on Edward shoulder as he rubbed circles over my thigh. He was going over some notes on his iPad 2. When I glanced over at the device to see what he was looking at, it appeared to be a 3-D, detailed image of the mechanics of the Olympia. He slid his finger across the screen to turn the image, getting another view, his expression evaluative.

"Don't you think you've done enough work tonight?" I asked, blocking the screen with my hand as I gazed up at him. Edward smirked down at me before shutting off the iPad and putting it away.

"There's always something that needs to be done..." He trailed off with a sigh, running a hand though his hair. What used to be neatly combed was now disarray, but he still managed to look good.

I smirked mischievously before lifting my head off of his shoulder bringing my face up to his. "Well, right now, you need to focus on your wife..." I breathed, brushing my nose against his. I was now straddling him, which wasn't difficult in the dress I was wearing. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched his hand as it slid over to the control panel on the door, pressing the _up arrow_ button. The privacy screen between the front and backseat rose, closing us off from the driver, leaving us in our own little bubble.

Not a moment later, Edward was attacking my neck with kisses as he gripped my waist. I held his shoulders tightly.

"Did I mention how much I love you in a suit?" I whispered, distractedly messing with his collar.

"You might have mentioned it..." he murmured against my collarbone before skimming his nose higher to the spot beneath my ear. I gasped when he nipped it a bit with his teeth and started sucking at it. I knew now was the time to stop before things got carried away.

I pulled away from and slid back into my seat. He glared at me impishly before leaning down to kiss me firmly on the lips.

"You're such a tease..." He whispered against them and I giggled lightly.

It wasn't long before we pulled up in front of our home and driver opened the door to let us out. By that time we had already straightened ourselves up. Edward climbed out first before turning and offering his hand to me. I delicately grabbed it before stepping out and adjusting the hem of my dress, whichhad risen slightly. We thanked the driver before Edward guided us up the stone steps and unlocked the front door. As soon as we stepped inside and closed the door, I felt relieved. It had been a long night and I just wanted to relax.

As I made my way towards the stairs, Edward suddenly grabbed my hand. I turned and looked at him curiously.

"Where do you think you're going?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"T-to get ready for bed...?" I answered hesitantly. Edward shook his head and pulled me towards him.

"I don't think so." He said. "I believe we have some celebrating of our own to do." Without another word, he guided me into the lounge.

The fireplace in the corner was lit, casting a warm relaxing glow over the tan leather sofa. The rectangular glass table reflected the light like a prism, making me glad to be home.

It was then that I noticed a bottle of champagne on ice, along with two flutes. Edwardpoured a glass and handed it to me before pouring his own.

"You planned this." I stated knowingly as I took a seat on the sofa.

"One more thing..." Edward trailed off, placing a finger to his lips with a smirk. He backed away towards the entertainment center. He lowered his hand to the stereo, switching it on as smooth Jazz streamed from the speakers. I smiled appreciatively and took a sip from my glass. He slowly approached me and held out his hand, which I gladly took as we placed our flutes on the table. He brought me close to him and he wrapped one arm around my lower back, our other hands clasped together. Our bodies aligned as we swayed slowly.

"What is this all about?" I asked.

"I just wanted to spend some time with my beautiful wife." He eyed me up and down appreciatively. "And I do mean beautiful."

"Yeah right..." I groaned, burying my face in his shoulder.

"I still can't believe that after five years you still don't believe it..." Edward breathed, placing a kiss upon my head.

_Six years_. I thought, but didn't bother to correct him.

"There's always going to be someone prettier than me."

"Pretty," Edward scoffed in distaste. "Pretty doesn't even begin to describe how I see you." He said. "I think you're stunning, I always will and that's all that matters."

I couldn't help myself, and I leaned up to kiss him. He captured my lips with his and held my face between his hands, as we stopped dancing. I slowly undid the button of his suit and slid my arms around his waist and up under his jacket. He moved one hand into my hair, removing the pins, and as it fell down my back, our kiss became more passionate. My hands moved to the front and rested on his chest before sliding up to push his jacket off of his shoulders. Swiftly, he dropped his arms to let the jacket fall to the floor before gripping my waist as I tugged on his tie to loosen it. Once it was gone I pulled at his collar, needing him closer to me, moaning as our tongues battled for dominance. He released my lips, trailing kisses down my neck, inhaling deeply as I took the moment to catch my breath, which came out in gasps for air. Without warning, Edward started removing the straps of my gown from my shoulders, exposing them. Frantically, I started unbuttoning his shirt, and soon it was off as well. Now I was holding on to his bare, muscular arms for dear life as my knees became weak. His hand inched down to my thigh, hitching my leg up over his waist before he lowered us down to the sofa.

My mind was filled with thoughts of him. Nothing else in the world mattered. I couldn't even remember what had me worried earlier that evening. All I knew was that as Edward pressed me firmly into the cushions, I wanted him to hold me closer, tighter...forever.

"I love you..." I breathed.

"You are my life..." He responded before he captured my lips again.

In this moment, all that mattered was the two of us, and no other words were spoken. No words were needed as we expressed the love we felt for each other, well into the night.

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><p>The bright sunlight streaming from the balcony window roused me from my sleep. I yawned heavily, wanting to return to my slumber as I tried to bury my face into my pillow, but it was in vain. Tiredly, I turned my body to the right, hoping that I would find the form of my sleeping husband. Instead, all I saw as I looked down at the empty space beside me was the slight indentation in the mattress giving me the only sign that he had indeed been there. I'm surprised he didn't make his side of the bed. He usually did. He used to leave me a note if I wasn't up to bid him goodbye because he didn't want to disturb me. There wasn't one. My heart fell slightly, but I was used to it now. Ever since Edward became CEO, he had to get up a lot earlier for work, which meant that I would still be very much asleep when he left. The notes only lasted about a year or two, but I loved seeing them when I awoke, even if they only said, <em>"See You Later – Love, Edward."<em>

A knock on the door alerted me.

"Mrs. Cullen, you're breakfast is ready." Bree, our housekeeper, called through the door.

"Just a minute!" I pulled the sheets higher around me, making sure that nothing was revealed. I even pulled the comforter up with me as I leaned back against the headboard. "Come in!"

The door opened just a crack, as the dark-haired girl stuck her head in. I smiled, waving her inside. She pushed the door open all the way, revealing her whole body. She was carrying a tray with a silver lid placed on top. Bree smiled timidly as she made her way into the room.

"How are you this morning, Mrs. Cullen?" She asked politely as she sat the tray on the nightstand beside me.

"I'm fine, and you?" I replied.

"I'm doing well," She answered shyly. She wouldn't look me in the eyes. Bree was very introverted, so this was normal for her, but it bugged me to no end.

"Bree, you don't have to call me Mrs. Cullen, you know." I reminded. "Bella is just fine."

"Mr. Cullen told me to only address you formally." Bree answered nervously. I huffed in irritation and I watched as her shoulders flinched. I immediately felt bad.

"It's okay, I'm not upset with you." I assured. She nodded, but didn't move as she waited for any instructions I may have. "You can leave." I dismissed. Bree quickly made her exit, closing the door behind her. I'm really going to have to talk to Edward. He's the reason why she's so timid; Always fussing at her when she made a tiny mistake.

I glanced over at the tray with no intentions to touch it. Hunger wasn't what I was feeling at the moment. Instead, I lie back, staring up at the ceiling as I try to think of _something_ to do today. Fridays were usually like this. Bree would bring me breakfast and I wouldn't touch it as I tried to think of what I could do to fill my day. I thought through all of the possible activities I could do. Book club was only on Wednesdays; Mondays, I would volunteer at the art center downtown. Every other day was spent sitting at home. Cleaning wasn't something I had to do, for we had a housekeeper for that. We had a chef for the cooking as well. I usually made good use of the gym downstairs but today I just didn't feel like exercising.

For the first two years of our marriage, I had worked as Edward's assistant until he could find someone suitable. The search lasted longer than we had planned. By the time Miss Decker was hired I had been out of school for so long that my plan to continue my doctoral degree in Psychology seemed like a moot point.

I sighed and began to tap my finger mindlessly against my stomach.

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><p><strong>3<strong>**rd**** Person POV**

Edward adjusted his tie as he stepped out of the elevator onto the 20th floor of the Cullen Corp building. He looked around as he watched his employees studiously doing their work; shuffling papers, taking phone calls, spouting ideas to each other. As he walked past the front desk, the receptionist looked up from her paper work and threw him a smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Cullen." She greeted perkily, turning in her chair as he walked by. She sat up straighter, causing her V-neck blouse to reveal even more cleavage than it had before. She flipped her long, red hair over her shoulder

"Morning, Victoria." Edward gave a curt nod of acknowledgement before continuing on.

Victoria sighed as she leaned over her desk to get a better look at his retreating form. When he disappeared around the corner, she huffed and sat back into her seat. She noticed a red flashing light from the corner of her eye and lurched forward as she remembered she had placed a caller on hold. _Shit! _She thought. She quickly snatched the phone off the hook, spouting her apologies as she glanced around to make sure no one noticed her mistake.

Edward continued on down the hall, workers stopping to let him pass, greeting him politely as they exited the copy room. He smiled and nodded back. He just wanted to get to his office.

"Good morning, Mr. Cullen." A young woman greeted as she walked alongside him. She had styled her light brown, curly hair into a bun, supported by bobby pins. Her gray skirt and suit jacket fit her well. She was carrying a planner with the Cullen Crest embedded on the cover.

"Miss Decker," Edward acknowledged his assistant, but continued walking. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Nina Decker's heels clacked against the floor as she tried to keep up with his long strides. "Mr. Philip Lewis called from the sales division in Europe," she handed him a slip of paper. "He wants to know when the new models will be ready for shipping." Edward nodded and she continued. "Also, the car launch last night was a big hit. A representative from Forbes Magazine called – they want to do an interview with you for the cover."

"Alright," Edward nodded.

"Don't forget, you scheduled a meeting with the marketing team today at one." Nina reminded.

"Thank you," Edward said. He smirked before adding, "Although, it's not like they would start without me." He chuckled confidently.

"No, they won't do that..." Nina murmured, secretly rolling her eyes before returning to her desk right outside his office door.

Edward was just about to reach his office when someone stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Mr. Cullen, good to see you!" Mike Newton greeted enthusiastically. "Man, that's a nice tie!" His wide smile and boyish blue eyes annoyed Edward to no end.

"Newton..." Edward sighed, eyeing the rectangular windows of his office over Mike's shoulder. Funny, how a migraine suddenly made itself known in the left temple of his head.

Michael Newton was a kiss-ass. It was his job. Actually, his real job was as a member of the design team, but whenever Edward would pass by, he immediately began sucking up to him by complimenting his looks or work ethic. Like Edward really needed it. To him, Edward walked on water. Although it was flattering at first, Mike had become a pain in the neck. He deluded himself into thinking that he and Edward were the best of friends after they shared a short conversation about sports in the downstairs café on his first day of work. Mike had beenshocked, yet pleased, when Edward sat down next to him with his turkey club and asked the score. Boy, was that a mistake.

"Did you happen to catch the game last Saturday?" Mike asked.

"No." Edward replied, hoping the annoyance in his voice was obvious. Of course, Mike was too obtuse to notice.

"Man, you missed a great game!" Mike shook his head, looking down at his shoes as he placed his hand on his hips. Edward noticed the clip on tie he was wearing wascoming lose and grimaced. "The White Sox won 4-2. You should have seen it."

Edward didn't bother mentioning that he was a Cardinals fan. "Damn, I guess I missed out." He pretended to be saddened by the news.

"Oh, _big _time." Mike snorted, feeling sorry for him. Edward pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. How the hell did Mike end up working for him? A sudden shove to his left arm caused Edward to look up. "Aw, don't worry man, there's another game this weekend." Mike said, trying to cheer him up.

"Yup." Edward deadpanned. Suddenly, Mike's eyes widened as he got an idea.

"Hey, maybe we could go to a bar and get a couple of beers, you know?" Mike suggested excitedly. "We could watch the White Sox smash the Mets. It'll be great!"

"Actually, Newton, I try to keep my business life and my personal life separate. So, no can do." Edward stated, really wishing Mike would just leave.

"I understand," Mike nodded, his expression turning serious as he tried to recover from his fanatic state. He combed a hand through his blonde hair. Edward sidestepped him, continuing on to his office. He had hoped Mike would get the message and leave him alone. No such luck. When Edward took a seat at his desk, Mike stood over him, resting a hand on the Oakwood. "So, how's Bella? Haven't seen her around in a while," Mike asked, making small talk. He started mindlessly playing with the Swinging Sticks Kinetic Energy Sculpture on Edward's desk.

"She's fine..." Edward sighed, pulling out some paperwork. Maybe if he appeared busy, Mike would go away.

"Boy, we really miss her up here." Mike smiled, reflectively. "The guys and I were just talking about how she used to prance around here in her sexy skirt, park right on your desk, and...oh..." Mike trailed, cutting off his words once he noticed Edward's testy expression. He was tapping his pen irately as he looked up at Mike, silently daring him to say anything else about his wife.

"Er..." Mike cleared his throat and tried to loosen his tie, only for it to pop off in his hand. "Uh..." He fumbled trying to clip it back on, embarrassedly. When it didn't work, he immediately shoved it in his pocket. Edward stared up at him with a weary expression. "Anyways..." Mike started slowly. "I just wanted to share with you some of my ideas for new features we could add to the cars."

"Do tell," Edward said indifferently as he focused on the papers in front of him.

"Well, I was thinking, you know, maybe we could add heated and cooled cup holders." Mike proposed. "You know, for coffee or something cold. Also, I was thinking voice activated seats. You know how you manually scoot your seat forward and backward, deciding how much leg room you need from the steering wheel?" Mike expressed, standing up.

"With voice activation, all you have to do is say 'forward' and the seat will slide up, like this-" Mike made the gesture of holding a steering wheel. "_Whirrrrrr..."_ He made the sound of mechanical movement as he stepped forward. "Back; _Whirrrrrr!"_ He backed up. "Forward; _Whirrrrrrr! _Back; _Whirrrrr! _Forwa_-"_

"Mr. Newton, please!" Edward interjected, pulling at his hair. "That's enough!" He exclaimed.

Mike stopped his antics, pouting a little. "I'm sorry." He apologized quietly. "I don't know what came over me."

Edward took a deep breath, glaring up at him. "Now, if you would please lea-" he paused when he glanced out the office window towards the reception desk.

There she was, dressed in a white pleat-pocketed jacket, paired with navy trousers and a modern silver trench and wedges. Her hair hung loosely over her left shoulder, full, pink lips pulling back from her white teeth as she smiled at everyone in polite greeting. Mike and Edward watched as she made her way through the floor to get to her office...which would force her to pass Edward's on the way. When she reached his door, she stuck her head in.

"Morning, Mr. Cullen! Hey, Mike." Tanya greeted, throwing Mike a flirtatious little finger wave, before continuing on. Both men were at a loss for words as they watched her retreating figure. Mike tilted his head to the side to get a better look at her ass as it swayed with the sensual motion of her hips. Edward realized he was staring and quickly refocused on his work.

Mike gave a low whistle, unashamed. "Damn, she is fine." He drawled out the word 'fine.' "Man, if I could just get a piece of that, I would..." He trailed off, noticing Edwards glare.

"Mr. Newton, I would appreciate it if you didn't speak that way about your fellow employees. It is very inappropriate." Edward hissed; his jaw clenched. His fist balled tightly, ready to dot Mike in the eye.

"I'm so very sorry, sir! It won't happen again!" Mike apologized. He realized he had overstayed his welcome. "Have a good day," He bid and left in a flurry, closing the door behind him.

Edward sighed heavily with relief, leaning back in his leather chair. He palmed his face, dragging his hand down to his chin. Crossing an ankle over his opposite knee, he laced his fingers behind his head and rocked slightly as he looked out of the windows of this office to the reception area. A sense of pride swelled up inside him as he watched the employees hustle about, trying to make everything run as smoothly as possible; trying to make sure it was to _his _expectations. Edward smirked at the thought before sitting up, and scooting his chair forward and starting on his work.

At a quarter to one, Edward had finally closed his laptop. He had just finished making a few phone calls and typing up a few papers. Even though he had employees to do the job, he still liked having a hands-on role, making sure that things were done right. He had worked vigorously, making sure that everything was perfect before his meeting. He hadn't even stopped to take a lunch break. A couple taps on his door caused him to look up as it was pushed open just a crack and Nina stuck her head in.

"Fifteen minutes, Mr. Cullen." She reminded before stepping back and closing the door. Edward sighed, yawing a bit before he stood up, grabbing his iPad2 case from beside his chair. He made his way out of his office, making sure to close the windowblinds before he did. He shut the door and it locked into place before he made his way leisurely to the conference room. On the way, he stopped to grab a coffee from the lounge, taking the time to drink about half of it. It's not like the meeting would start without him.

Once he was ready, he walked into the conference room. A long table sat in the center of it with leather office chairs surrounding it. His chair was at the very end, and was the biggest of them all. There was a large Smart Board at the front of the room for presentations. Everyone had a bottle of water placed in front of them and were busy organizing their stations. Edward made his way to his chair, pulled it out, and plopped into his seat, getting comfortable. Nina was to his right, ready to take notes. All of the other chairs were filled with members of the marketing team including business development manager, VP of marketing, and of course the _marketing director,_ who was currently standing in front of the Smart Board, preparing for her presentation.

"I say we're ready to start, don't you think?" Edward spoke. His words were casual, but his tone was far from suggestive. Everyone knew what he really meant was, 'Let's start now before I get impatient.' Edward leaned back in his chair cupping his chin with his thumb, his nose between his middle and forefinger as he waited.

Tanya straightened her jacket before starting. "Good afternoon, everyone. As you already know, last night we revealed thenew model from our sports line, was a huge success." She paused as everyone agreed. Edward watched her closely. "As the marketing director, a part of my job is to develop a marketing strategy. Now, if you will direct your attention to the screen, you'll see that I have set up a plan that will ensure the growth of this corporation." Tanya took a breath. "Our main goal is to give the people what they want. That's what we are known for, and that is what has kept The Cullen Corporation at the top of the automotive chain. But, the question is,is it enough to keep us there?" she asked rhetorically.

This caused Edward to sit up straight, intrigued. Anything that had to do with the probability of his business declining alerted him. He listened as Tanya went on to explain her ideas and theories, backing them with charts, photos, and videos. He had to admit; he was pretty impressed, considering Tanya had only been workinghere for a few weeks and already had ideas on how to push business to the next level. Ideas such as public test-drives and raffle opportunities were great ways to sell more cars.

She was very creative and her intellect was notable and inspiring. That's why he hired her in the first place. Edward watched as she moved, stretching her arm to point to something on the screen. This caused the blouse under her jacket to rise slightly, revealing a sliver of tan skin. His eyes focused on that part until the fabric covered it again. Trailing his eyes down the length of her body, he studied every dip and curve that was visible. He forced himself to look up at her face. She continued speaking as if nothing happened, but their eyes locked in an intense stare-off.

It wasn't long before the conference was over, and he had agreed to her plan. The room cleared out as Tanya began organizing her papers, stowing them away in her briefcase. Edward had stood back, waiting till the last person left the room before he too began to exit.

"Mr. Cullen," Tanya called delicately. Edward turned back to look at her. "I would like to have a word with you, if you don't mind."

Edward nodded with a smile. "Of course, meet me in my office in about fifteen minutes." He turned and left the room, feeling Tanya's gaze burn into his back as her eyes followed him.

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><p><strong>AN: _Hmmm... what's going on with Edward and Tanya? Please_, **_**leave a comment! Tell me what you think! Comments are so encouraging and I really appreciate them!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** I know it's a little late, but here's the next chapter! I am so amazed by the response I got from this story and I am super excited to continue writing!

However, I do need to clarify something.

_Some readers are worried about this story being a "cheat fic" and may feel uncomfortable reading it. I TOTALLY understand how you feel. I too have a thing against cheating and this story in no way portrays infidelity as positive or acceptable. In the words of one of my readers, "EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED" when it comes to this story. Is Edward cheating? Maybe or maybe not. That question won't be answered until later in the story. However, Bella and Edward will face some problems in their marriage and I hope the plot is enough to keep readers interested. This story isn't about "who cheated on whom" or who's right or wrong. It's about overcoming obstacles and the characters are going to make mistakes while at the same time bettering themselves._

_So, if you are still interested, please stick with this story! But I completely understand if you don't. No worries! :)_

Anyways...

**Thank you so much to my readers for the kind words of encouragement! It really motivates me and it's great to know what people are thinking as the story unfolds!**

**THANK YOU to my Beta SUNFLOWER3759 for taking the time to make sure that the story is polished for posting! Her editing skills are amazing and there's a lot that I can learn from her!**

**Disclaimer: **Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and the characters!

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><p><strong>BPOV <strong>

Just when I was on the brink of insanity, the doorbell rang.

You see this morning, after deciding that staying in the room all day wasn't an option, I freshened up and got dressed. Then I went downstairs and decided to watch TV on the big screen. I stopped off at the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of a fruit before plopping my ass down on the sofa. I grabbed the remote, and started mindlessly flicking through channels, only stopping when I came across something interesting – a rare occurrence. Every now and then I would stuff a chunk of pineapple into my mouth, followed by a strawberry or a piece of melon as I continued to channel surf. I ended up stopping at an infomercial about the Slap-Chop. Some guy with an accent I couldn't place was showing examples of how it worked.

"You like onions? It chops that too! You like garlic? Go ahead and throw it in there! How about some pickles? Everyone likes pickles!"

_Uh, I don't, Mr. I Want You To Buy A Product That's Unnecessary, But I Want Your Money So I'm __Gonna __Annoy You Until You Pick Up The Phone And Call! Or Kill Yourself, Whichever Comes First!_

So, when I heard the doorbell, I practically flew out of my seat and raced to the door. I pulled it open to reveal...my kidnappers.

"Hey, what the hell?" I exclaimed as they grabbed me from my doorstep and started dragging me down the driveway. I kicked and screamed as they placed a blindfold over my eyes and tied my wrists behind my back. "Let me go!" I demanded.

"Aw, shut-up, you big baby!" One of them ordered nonchalantly. "It's not that big of a deal."

Quickly,I was gently lowered into the backseat of thecar. If I could give them the stink eye, I would,but I stayed quiet, and soonI heard them hop into the car, shut their doors and start the engine before pealing out of my driveway.

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" I stated as I managed to prop myself up against the door. Who knew that my best friends were highly trained kidnappers?

"Chill out and have a little fun!" Shuree encouraged. "We're not going far."

I turned my head in the direction of her voice. "Well, would someone mind telling me where we're going?" I asked calmly. "And why the hell I've been bound and blindfolded?" Not so calmly.

"Ugh, this isn't going to be fun if she just complains the whole trip!" I heard Alice whine. I turned in her direction.

"Well, maybe I wouldn't complain if I knew what was going on!"

"We just wanted to make this a little more exciting, that's all." Rose said offhandedly. Suddenly, the blindfold was pulled from my eyes with a huff. It took a while for my eyes to adjust, but I soon saw that we wereriding through the streets of downtown Chicago. I looked around the car; Rose was driving, Shuree was in the front seat, and Alice was sitting right next to me with the blindfold in hand. She pouted, throwing it to the floor.

"You're no fun..." She glowered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Erhm!" I cleared my throat and turned my back to her. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"No way," Alice declined. "Then you'll be able to hit me!" She teased.

"How can I hit you if I'm too busy strangling the three of you?" I hissed, not sure if I was teasing or not.

"There will be no strangling of any kind back there!" Shuree reprimanded, turning in her seat to face us.

"I could always kick you..." I pointed out casually, wiggling my toes at her. Oh, did I mention? They dragged me out barefoot. She rolled her eyes at me before reaching into her tote bag and tossing a pair of flip flops at me.

"Ew, pink?" I grimaced as they landed in my lap.

"Relax, we're only trying to get you out of the house." Shuree explained as Alice began untying me. Once I was free I picked up the flip flops andthen,without warning, I slapped Alice's arm with them.

"Hey!" She protested. "She hit me!" She complained.

"I said I would..." I shrugged as I slipped the pink shoes onto my feet.

"Children, please. Do I have to put you in time out?" Rose asked, glancing at us in the rearview mirror.

"No..." Alice and I droned simultaneously. "So, where are we going?" I asked.

"We've decided to have a Girls Day/Night Out," Alice replied. "First, we're going to the Spa for a little TLC..."

"Then we're hitting the Chicago Spy Bar." Rose finished just as we pulled in front of the Peninsula Spa by ESPA on Michigan Avenue. She cut the engine before hopping out. The rest of us followed suit as she lead the way to the glass double doors. Rose pulled on the gold handle, opening the door and we walked inside.

We approached the counter and the receptionist looked up from her computer. She smiled kindly givingus her full attention.

"Welcome to the Peninsula Spa, how can I help you?" She greeted, brushing her short, blonde hair behind her ear.

"Yes, we have an appointment for the Full-Day Spa Journey." Rose said, resting her arm against the marble counter top.

"Name?" The woman asked as she looked down at her computer.

"Cullen."

We waited patiently as the receptionist scanned the list on her computer. "Ah, here you are," She grinned. "For the 2:30 Peninsula Haven, right?" She began typing away on her keyboard and moved the mouse to click on something. "Alright, Ms. Rosalie, Bella, Alice, and Shuree..." She looked up at us for confirmation. We nodded. "My name is Beth, is this your first time visiting with us?"

"Theirs," Rose smirked, pointing to all of us.

"Great, I hope you will enjoy it here. If you would step to the side, we'll have Bonnie take care of you." She gestured to her right and we followed with our eyes. A woman, with her hair pulled back into a high ponytail, carrying a few towels, smiled at us. We made our way over to her.

"If you would just follow me, I'll take you to where you'll be receiving your treatment." Bonnie smiled and began walking down the hall. She led us to a bright room with four massage tables covered in white linen sheets. A signature robewas folded neatly on each table. She sat a towel down on each of them before turning to us. "Just get comfortable, and a masseuse will be in shortly." She bid us good-bye and made her exit, closing the frosted glass door behind her.

"Wow, this is amazing," Alice gasped, plopping down her tote and removing her sandals. Rose and Shuree did the same. I didn't have anything with me, so I just sat on top of one of the tables.

"I come here all the time," Rose gushed, hoisting herself up on toher table and kicking offher heels. "Whenever I need a break from the kids, Emmett sends me here for the day."

"Speaking of which, how are Casey and Daryn?" I questioned, slipping on my robe. A couple years after my marriage to Edward, Rose and Emmett announced Rose was pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. They just turned four in April.

"They're fine. A handful, but I mean, when you have kids, what else should you expect?" Rose giggled.

"Is there something you want to tell us?" Shuree asked with a knowing smile. "You're practically glowing."

"Ok," Rose sighed, looking down at her hands in her lap. "I was going to wait until later but...I can't help it. I'm pregnant!" She exclaimed looking up at us with a wide smile.

"Congratulations!" We cheered.

"How far along are you?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, I haven't had an appointment yet, but I took threetestsa few days ago and they all said positive!" Rose answered. We congratulated her once again before the door swung open. We all gasped, our jaws dropping to the floor and our eyes widening.

"Good afternoon, ladies." A man with a perfect smilegreeted us. He stood about 6'1" with short dark hair, tan skin, and dark brown eyes. His teeth were so straight and white, I couldn't believe it. His body was well built and appeared as if it were about to bust out of his white t-shirt. "My name's Jacob and I'll be taking care of you four, beautiful women today."

"Ooohh..." We expressed effusively. We glanced at each other before erupting into a fit of girlish giggles.

* * *

><p>We felt so relaxed after Jacob and his team gave us our full body massage. It was a mint treatment combined with aromatherapy oils, a full body exfoliation, and a deeply relaxing head massage. Afterwards, we were given an ESPA Intensive Facial, which, we were told, is specifically tailored to address the needs of the skin. Currently, we were lounging in massage chairs with our feet soaking in a hot, whirlpool bath as we received our foot massage and facial. We each had avocado masks with cucumbers resting upon our eyelids as the masseuse rubbed, pressed, and kneaded soothingly at our feet. We were all placed in acircle, chatting away.<p>

"Alright, admit it, you needed this time out." Shuree insisted, removing a cucumber from her eye as she peeked at me.

"You're right," I sighed in appreciation as the masseuse rubbed circles into the arches of my feet. "I guess after getting used to sitting at home alone all day, I never realized how monotonous my life is." I removed the cucumbers, blinking my eyes as the cold air caused them to tear up. I took a sip from the ice cold glass of water the staff had so graciously provided.

"You just need to get out more," Alice shrugged as she filed her nails. She glanced up at me and smiled, "Who says you have to sit at home all day when there's so much to do in a city like this?"

"Work can be so tedious; you have to take a break sometimes." Rose added and took a deep breath. She leaned her head back against the chair, releasing it.

"See, that's the thing," I said, sitting up. "I don't work."

"You don't have a reason to," Shuree claimed. "Your husband is a _multimillionaire_." She accentuated. "Let your man take care of you. All you need to do is relax."

"But at what cost?" I stressed with a frown. "I sit at home and do nothing with my time. I don't have a job, I don't have kids," I listed off on my fingers. "I don't even clean my own house for God's sake."

"There are plenty of other things to do besides work, Bella." Alice voiced, waving her nail file impassively.

"Like what? Relaxing at spas, going out to clubs, shopping?" I exclaimed in frustration.

"It's not bad to enjoy those things." Rose said.

"Easy for you to say, you do all of those things, but you still have a job working with Alice at the boutique." I stated matter-of-factly. "_And _you both have kids."

"So, basically, this isn't a matter of boredom, but a matter of not having children." Shuree clarified, taking a sip of water.

"It's much deeper than that, you guys." I groaned. "This isn't how I planned my life. Yes, I wanted to get married. Yes, I wanted a lifestyle where I didn't have worry about whether the bills were paid, or if there's food on the table." I admitted. "But I never wanted to be a trophy wife. I wasn't raised that way. I want to work, if not for the money, then for the joy of doing something that I love. That's why I went to college in the first place; to get a degree in psychology so I could become a Clinical Psychologist."

"Then, what's stopping you?" Alice shrugged.

At this, I was at a loss for words. "I don't know..." I spoke slowly, gazing down thoughtfully at my feet as the water swirled and pulled around them. "I guess I just haven't-"

"_Discussed it with Edward_..." Rose, Alice, and Shuree chorused monotonously.

"Girl, when are you going to stop asking Edward for permission?" Shuree questioned. "He's your husband not your dad."

"Yes, but before I make any life changing decisions, I have to speak with him about it first. It's not just going to affect me; it will affect both of us." I explained.

"And we understand that, but according to you, Edward seems to be the one making all the decisions." Rose commented.

"That's not true..." I countered.

"Is it?" Rose challenged. When I didn't respond she leaned back in her chair, satisfied. I hated when she was brutally honest.

"Look, Bella," Alice sighed. "We're not saying to go against him, we're just saying sometimes you gotta' do things for yourself. If you're not happy, then you need to make some changes."

"Starting with that man of yours," Shuree put in. "Is he doing what he needs to do in order to satisfy you?"

"Finally, the juicy stuff!" Rose clapped excitedly, sitting up further in her chair. "Alright spill!"

"Not that it's any of your business, but mine and Edward's sex life is just fine." I blushed.

"_Fine_, she says." Shuree scoffed. "Is that all?"

"Well, Ms. I'm Happy Being Single, when was the last time a man fulfilled your needs?" I challenged.

"Just last weekend..." Shuree deadpanned, inspecting her toes. One thing about Shuree; she isn't easily embarrassed.

"You can't seriously think you can say that and not give us details?" Rose pressured.

"What's there to tell? He was attracted to me, I was attracted to him. Big deal." Shuree shrugged.

"Obviously it wasn't that great if there's nothing to brag about." Alice giggled.

"Puh-lease, don't get it twisted. Everything was great; I just don't _screw_ and tell." Shuree exclaimed, earning a laugh from all of us. After a moment of silence Shuree bit her lip and smirked. "I kind of want to see him again."

"Really? I thought you were happy being single?" I raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"I am."

"Oh, come on, there has to be someone out there that can tie you down." Rose declared.

"There are over six billion people in the world, and women feel like they have to settle for one man?" Shuree remarked. "Alice, Rose; do you two use _one _supplier for your store? No. So, for me it's the same way. I run my relationships like you run your business. I use my head, not my heart."

"But don't you believe in romance?"

Shuree scoffed.

"Happily ever after?"

Scoff.

"True love?"

"If I wanted true love, I'd buy a puppy." Shuree retorted. Alice giggled, sipping her water. "If life has taught me anything, it's not to look for everything in one man; because one man will not have all the things that I require."

"Have you ever been in a serious relationship?" I asked.

"Of course I have," Shuree answered, offended. "You think I've never been in love? You think I've never worn my heart on my sleeve for a man, who I _thought_ was going to be the one I would marry? Have kids with? Grow old with? I only ended up hurt." She shook her head at the thought. "Love is an illusion for the weak. I refuse to allow another man to make a fool of me ever again, that's for damn sure."

We were silent, not knowing what to say. For as long as I've known Shuree, I never knew her reasons why she hasn't had a long lasting relationship. Now, I understood that she just didn't want to get hurt again. Sure, a lot of people nowadays engage in casual sex and relationships, but I never pictured Shuree as that type of person. I'm sure if she met the right guy, she'd be happy to settle down.

"May I make a suggestion?" Jacob asked, looking up at Shuree from massaging her feet.

"Hell no!" We all exclaimed, laughing hysterically. "Just keep workin', big boy." Shuree added flirtatiously, earning a wink from Jacob. We laughed again.

I have to admit, I'm so lucky to have friends like these women surrounding me. Without them, I don't know what I would do. And truth be told, as I sat there sipping my water and relaxing into the muscle easing touch of the masseuse, these women have given me a lot to think about.

* * *

><p>At around 2:15 in the morning, I pushed the door openly slowly, peaking around it to make sure the coast was clear. The lights were off. Quickly, I tiptoed into the house – well, as quickly as I could in five inch stilettos – closing the door quietly behind me. I paused, listening for any movement. When I didn't hear anything, I continued creeping towards the stairs. I had planted one foot on the step when suddenly, the light in the living room cut on.<p>

"Where have you been?" he voiced from the other room. I froze, not sure of what I should do next. When he didn't say anything else, I hesitantly made my way towards the living room. I turned the corner to find my husband sitting in the recliner as he looked at me with an unreadable expression. He wasn't pleased with my silence. "Are you going to answer the question?" he asked expectantly.

"I was out." I responded shortly.

"Out where?" Edward rose from the chair and took a few strides towards me. His body towered over mine and dim light made him appear even more intimidating.

"I-I was at the spa..." I trailed off, not wanting to mention the rest.

"And...?" He prodded, stepping closer. I wanted to back away because I wasn't sure what he would do next. But at the same time, I missed his closeness. I know it seems weird but when you don't see your husband all day and suddenly he comes home earlier than usual...

"T-The Spy Bar," I said sotto voce, looking down at my shoes. When he didn't respond, I looked up. His eyebrows were raised, defining his floored expression. His silence continued as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"The Spy Bar, huh?" He asked perturbed, letting this information sink in. I swallowed, nodding slowly in confirmation. I bit my lip as I watched him take a step away, turning his back towards me as he clasped his hands behind him. I think he was trying to gather his thoughts. When he did, he turned sharply towards me and grasped my arms somewhat gently. It didn't hurt. Leaning his face closer he asked, "Do you know how worried I have been?" His voice calm, but I could tell he was trying not to snap at me as his jaw tightened. He swallowed slowly, causing his Adam's apple to bob up and down.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" I started to apologize.

"Do you know how many times I called you?" He asked, releasing. Edward stepped back, pinching the bridge of his nose. I didn't know if I was supposed to answer his question. "Fifteen times!" He exclaimed, looking back at me. "I don't understand it, Bella. What's the purpose of having a cell phone if you're not going to answer it?"

"I didn't have it with me." I admitted.

"Yeah, I figured that..." Edward scoffed, producing my phone from his back pocket and waving it at me. "I guess you can't answer if you don't take it with you." He tossed it at me. I almost dropped it as I scrabbled for it.

"I didn't mean to leave it here." I argued irately.

"I get off of work early today, just so I could surprise my wife with dinner reservations at her favorite restaurant. And when I get home, I find out that she's not even here!" Edward fussed. "So, I get worried, wondering where the hell she is, considering she didn't even leave a note or call! I mean, how difficult is it to make _one _phone call?" He fumed.

"Woah, hold on a damn minute!" I halted his griping by holding up my hand. "How can you talk, when you're the one who doesn't even come home until the crack of dawn-thirty most weekdays? I don't ever get a phone call! I sit at home, wondering where the hell my husband is and when hemight begetting home. Shit, I'm usually asleep by the time your ass walks through the door, wanting to climb into bed!" I declared, placing my hands on my hips. Edward glared at me, nostrils flared and jaw clenched. He stormed over to me, his eyes hard as he looked down at me.

"That's hardly the same. I work, Bella. Sometimes I don't have time to call every time I end up working late." He hissed.

"You mean to tell me that you don't have time to make _one_ phone call to your _wife,_ who sits at home _all day_, to let her know that you won't be home to eat dinner with her or kiss her goodnight?" I questioned incredulously, traitor tears filling my eyes.

"I'm not out partying at some damn club!" Edward argued.

"Oh my god, Edward! I go out one time and it's the end of the world for you!" I threw my hands up with petulance. "How was I supposed to know you had dinner reservations? You expect me to sit at home all day until you need me?" He raised a challenging eyebrow at me but didn't say word. I scoffed with a shake of my head. "This is ridiculous. I'm going to bed..." I turned to leave when suddenly I was grabbed around the waist.

I didn't struggle as Edward pulled me against his chest and rested his chin on my shoulder. He inhaled deeply and I felt his chest expand against my back before he breathed out in one huff. I was still angry at him, so I wasn't going to be the first one to say anything.

"I'm just trying to say that I was worried." He spoke calmly. "I had no idea where you were or _who _you were with."

I heard the acid in his tone when he said 'who.' As if the word burned him. So, he wasn't mad that I was gone, just at the fact that I could have been with somebody else? What was up with that?

When I voiced this, he answered, "I just don't like the idea of my wife at a club without me where men can flirt with her."

"So you don't trust me?" I inquired, indignantly.

"I trust _you_," Edward cleared up. "It's the men that I don't trust. You are my wife. If any man were to so much as _think _about you in a way that only I should, then I would-" He stopped himself, chuckling humorlessly. He turned me around to face him, looking me dead in the eyes. I had no idea why, but he had this look that I couldn't comprehend. It was like he was thinking about something – an inside joke that he knew but I didn't. It was unusual and it bothered me to no end. That look will forever be burned in the back of my mind.

"Who were you with?" He asked.

"Alice, Rose, and Shuree came by and-" I started.

"I should have known those three had something to do with this." Edward rolled his eyes with a sigh. I noticed how relieved he was at my words.

"They were just trying to get me out of the house for a while." I explained. Edward looked at me, this time with consideration.

"Bella, if you wish to go out more, then by all means, do so." He granted. "But, please, let me know so I don't..._worry _so much."

"Alright, but you have to promise that you'll call and let me know when you'll be home." I compromised.

"Fair enough," He said, giving me that crooked grin of his. "Now that's over, let's head up to bed." He urged.

I yawned, stretching a little. "I am rather tired." I agreed and turned to head towards the stairs when Edward grabbed my wrist gently. I turned, confused, and met his impish gaze.

"Who said anything about _sleeping_?" He smirked, wagging his eyebrows. I giggled before turning and running up the stairs towards the bedroom with him hot on my heels.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** You will probably find out what happened with Edward and Tanya in the next chapter or so!

**_What do you all think about the conversation that Bella had with Alice, Rose, and Shurree? Are her friends right? Is Bella being too submissive when it comes to her relationship or is she just being a good wife? And what about Shurree? Is there some truth to her idea on love?_**

**_Please tell me what you think! Reviews are very encouraging and appreciated!_**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **_Just want to say thank you so much to all of the readers for your support! I know it's been minute since the last update. Hope you enjoy this chapter!_

_And thank you to my wonderful Beta! She is just amazing at what she does!_

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and characters.

* * *

><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

It felt so nice to wake up in Edward's arms the next morning. It was a luxury that I didn't have during the week, so to me it felt like a privilege. So, instead of getting up, I simply snuggled myself closer into his bare chest as I listened to the soft strumming of his heart, reveling in every steady breath that he took. My finger trailed lazily up and down his bicep as I admired the strong contours of his as it rested against my stomach. I traced all the way up his shoulder, over his neck and around his ear before my finger descended down his cheek, and across his strong jaw line, finally reaching his lips. I watched his face scrunched.

A groan rumbled from deep within his chest and I giggled lightly at the throaty sound. He peeked at me with one eye, glancing down at my finger that was placed so daintily against his lips. He kissed it softly before burying his face into his pillow, grumbling a "good morning."

"Hey, Sleepyhead." I replied quietly. My finger was now trailing down his exposed back.

"Hmmm," He hummed. "What time is it?" He mumbled tiredly.

"Let me check..." I sighed before turning over to my nightstand and unplugging my phone from it's charger. I pressed the home button on the iPhone 4, and the screen lit up. A notification popped up in the center of the lock screen. I slid my finger across the bottom, revealing all of my apps set against a backdrop picture of Edward and me in front of the Eifel Tower. I clicked view to open the notification.

_19 Missed Alerts_

I looked at the list. The first three were from Alice, Shuree, and Rose, asking if I got in ok last night. The next fifteen were from Edward – the missed calls he had been complaining about. And the last one...My eyes widened.

"What time is it?" Edward repeated. I felt the bed dip slightly as he sat up behind me.

"Uh..." I blinked at the screen nervously, my eyes flashing to the top. "10:23." I answered shortly before looking back at the alert. I gulped quietly as my palms began to sweat. I heard him stretch and yawn as he scuffled around for a pair of boxers.

"Everything all right?" He asked from across the room.

"Y-yeah," I stuttered, hoping my fear wasn't apparent in my voice. He didn't respond but continued his venture to the bathroom. I didn't move until I heard the door close behind him.

"Shit!" I hissed before throwing the sheets off of me as I continued to stare at my phone in disbelief. I read and re-read the missed alert for verification. "Shit, shit, shit..." I continued to mutter as I picked up one of Edward's t-shirts off the floor. I quickly looked around the room for my purse. I spotted it in the far corner by my full-length mirror...where I had left it yesterday. Not a good sign.

I rushed over, grabbed it and quickly found what I was looking for. I opened the case, mentally taking an inventory on the contents. My heart skipped a beat when I realized that my suspicions were correct. I heard the toilet flush and the bathroom door open. I snapped the case shut, stashing it back into my purse before turning around to find Edward walking through the doorway of the sitting room. I smiled nervously at him as he eyed me suspiciously.

"Are you sure everything's ok?" He checked.

"Mm-hm." I nodded hurriedly, pushing some hair behind me ear.

"Well, I'll go down to the kitchen then..." he said slowly, narrowing his eyes at me before exiting the room. I released a breath of air I didn't know I was holding and shut my eyes tightly as I tried to calm down. _Relax, Bella. You just missed one...and had sex with your husband that very night...it's no big deal? _Convincing myself wasn't working. It was a very big deal! I knew that if I missed a day, the chances doubled.

I have to tell Edward and warn him.

_No you don't, it's probably not that crucial._

He deserves to know, especially since we haven't discussed the topic recently. Now is the perfect time to bring it up.

_What are the odds that anything will happen anyways?_

This conversation with my conscience wasn't helping. Realizing I wasn't getting anywhere, I retrieved the case again, popping out the pill that I had missed. I rushed to the bathroom, turning on the faucet before swallowing the pill and washing it down with a hand full of water. Taking two pills in one day, could mean I will possibly experience some nausea, but at least I took it. After I brushed my teeth, emptied my bladder and showered, I threw on a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. Then I slowly made my way downstairs to the kitchen, as if nothing was wrong.

When I rounded the corner, I spotted Edward at the counter by the fridge, drinking a cup of freshly brewed coffee and going over something on his iPad2 – probably checking his stocks. He noticed me and gave a half-smile before returning to his work. With a sigh, I opened the fridge in search of something to eat. Bree was off on the weekends, so we had to fend for ourselves. Decisively, I grabbed a canister of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls and closed the fridge. I preheated the oven and grabbed a baking sheet before pouring myself a cup of coffee as well.

"Don't forget we have dinner at my parents' house tonight." Edward voiced, without looking up.

"What should I wear?" I asked, sipping from my mug.

"It's nothing fancy. Jeans and a nice shirt will do." He responded. I nodded with a yawn before I put down my mug and started preparing the cinnamon rolls and placing them in the oven.

"Do you want me to make you an omelet?" I offered.

"That's fine." He stated, looking studiously down at his work. I rolled my eyes before going to the fridge and grabbing the eggs. Even on the weekends he works. As I began preparing the omelet, I thought about earlier this morning.

"Edward," I called as I whipped the eggs.

"Mm-Hmm," He hummed in response.

I was going to tell him. Lord knows I was, but I chickened out at the last minute.

"Do you want some Pico de Gallo and salsa to go with it?" I proposed lamely.

"And extra cheese and bacon, if you don't mind." Edward added acceptingly before moving to the dining room table.

"Alright..." I assented before pouring the yellow liquid into the pan, the _hissing _sound echoing throughout the kitchen.

_I guess we'll just wait and see._

* * *

><p>"Aunt Bella! Aunt Bella! Look what I drawed!" Sarah ran up to me, flailing a piece of paper in her hand. I smiled as I knelt down to her level so she could show me her picture. There were ten stick figures lined up in a row, each with their own distinct characteristics. "See, that's mommy and daddy, grandma and grandpa, Uncle Emmett and Aunt Rose, and there's you!" She pointed to the figure with long brown hair.<p>

"Wow, that's awesome!" I exclaimed, overly happy for her sake. I pointed to another figure with messy brownish-yellow hair who looked to be holding a cell phone. "Who's that?" I asked knowingly.

"That's Uncle Edward!" Sarah replied. "See? He's talking on the phone."

"That is him, isn't it?" I played along, smirking. I looked over at Edward who was currently on his iPhone4, chatting away obliviously. I heard Emmett's bellowing laughter as he came over, looking at the picture.

"Damn, Eddie! It looks just like you!" He guffawed, only to have Edward hold up his finger for him to be quiet. I rolled my eyes and tousled Sarah's curls with a smile.

"It's very pretty, sweetie. But, you forgot a couple of people." I pointed out. Sarah's forehead creased as she looked down studiously at her drawing.

"Who?" She asked worriedly with a pout.

"Casey and Daryn!" I said.

"Ohhhhh..." Her lips formed a cute little pink 'O' as her tiny eyebrows raised. "I'mma go draw dem now!" She squeaked hurriedly before skipping off. I chuckled softly before narrowing my eyes, and turning to face Edward. I crossed my arms over my chest and marched over to the figure sitting on the sofa with his ankle crossed over his knee and his phone to his ear. I cleared my throat to get his attention and he raised his pointer finger to me as if to say 'one minute.' I scoffed and waited with a huff. When he finally ended his call he glared up at me.

"I was on a very important call." He claimed.

"Yeah, well, now is the time for your family, _not _your work." I stated firmly. He rolled his eyes before silently putting his phone away. I sighed tiredly, exiting the living room towards the kitchen. I found Esme checking her roast in the oven.

"Do you need any help?" I offered. She leaned up and turned to face me with a smile.

"Oh, no dear, everything's practically finished in here, but, if you don't mind, you can set the table." She requested. I nodded and went to grab the silverware and plates. After everything was set, Sarah ran into the kitchen.

"Ok, I added dem!" She squeaked and showed her picture to me. I saw two small pink and blue figures. The pink one had a bow on her head.

"Perfect!" I grinned.

"But, I'm all out of paper..." Sarah pouted.

"Oh, don't worry, honey. We'll get you some more." I said. "Esme, do you have any drawing paper?" I asked, turning towards my mother-in-law. She looked up from the mashed potatoes she was stirring, brushing her hair back behind her ear.

"Uh, yes, I think there's some printer paper in Carlisle's office, down the hall." She pointed around the corner. I nodded and looked down at Sarah.

"You wait here, I'll go and get you some more paper, ok?" I explained and Sarah nodded. I made my way out of the kitchen, passing the sitting room where everyone was chatting. I spotted Carlisle messing with his stereo on the entertainment system.

"Carlisle, is it alright if I borrow some paper from your office?" I asked. He looked over to me and grinned.

"Of course," He shrugged nonchalantly. "There should be some on my desk."

"Thanks," I voiced before turning down the hall. When I entered Carlisle's office, the first thing I noticed was the decor; pictures of family lined the walls along with photos of Carlisle while he was CEO of Cullen Corporation. There were colored snapshots of various landmarks all around the world ,such as the Opera House in Sydney and Big Ben in London. There was a large bookcase against the far left wall. His desk, as well as a large leather chair was conveniently placed in front a bay window that looked over Lake Michigan. It was spacious but seemed very dark. I noticed that the only light source was the green LED desk lamp. I quickly made my way over to the desk, and grabbed a few sheets of paper. It wasn't until I turned to leave that I realized I wasn't alone.

"Ah!" I shrieked when I came face to face with a tall figure. I placed my hand over my heart when I realized it was Edward, wearing a puckish smirk. "Edward, you scared me!" I hit him on the arm with the papers. I didn't even hear him come in.

"I'm sorry," He said, though I knew he wasn't sorry in the least. When he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me closer to him, I knew what he wanted. He started placing sensual kissed up and down my neck.

"E-Edward," I gasped. "We can't." I shook my head, placing my hands on his shoulders to push him away. I still had the papers gripped in my hand.

"Sure we can," he murmured before hitching my leg over his waist. He trailed his hand up and down my thigh slowly as he found the spot just below my ear and nipped at it. Edward began walking forward, causing me to move backwards until my ass touched the desk. His tongue flicked my ear lobe before his lips came crashing down onto mine. I kissed him back with fervor, not wanting to let him go. I moaned into his mouth as he sucked my bottom lip. It wasn't until he started to lift my blouse that I came to my senses. I pulled away and turned my head so my cheek faced him.

"What's wrong?" I felt his breath against my ear.

"Not right now." I stated, lowering my leg down to the floor. I denied him partly because I wasn't sure if the birth control had kicked in yet and partly because I didn't feel comfortable having a quickie in his father's office. It was just disrespectful. Plus, who knows if someone already beat us to it...ew! I looked up at him to find him looking down at the floor jaw clenched. When he didn't move, I brushed my hand along his cheek. He gazed back at me with a stoic expression before blinking his eyes and shaking his head. He huffed and released me, backing away.

"You're right, what was I thinking." Edward whispered before sharply turning and disappearing out of the office. I just stood there, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Surely he wasn't mad at me? He knew I just didn't do that kind of thing – I just didn't like the risk of getting caught. I wanted privacy and romance. I took a deep breath and looked down at the nearly crumpled papers in my hand, remembering what I was here for.

Quickly, I left the office, closing the door behind me and headed towards the kitchen. Sarah was perched on the counter with Alice gingerly cleaning what appeared to be whipped cream off of her hands and face with a wipe. When I approached, Alice looked up at me with a weary expression.

"She got into the dessert." She clarified, gesturing to the cream pie on the counter, that now had a big chunk missing.

"Sarah..." I chided, wagging my finger at her teasingly. When she was all cleaned up, Alice lowered her from the counter. I bent down and handed her the sheets of paper. "Here you go."

"Yay! Thanks Auntie Bella!" She squealed before running off. I giggled and stood up straight, coming face to face with Alice.

"What's that on your neck?" She asked curiously, moving closer to get a better look. My hand shot up to the spot just below my ear, trying to cover it. When she realized what it was she smirked at me. "Uh-huh..." She expressed knowing.

"It's not what you think." I quickly denied.

"You see this face?" She said dryly, pointing to her dubious countenance. "Yeah, it means I don't believe you." She shook her head mockingly.

"Whatever," I huffed, sweeping my hair over my left shoulder to hide the mark. Alice giggled in her tinkling voice before nodding towards the dining room.

"Come on, dinner is just about ready!" She guided me out of the kitchen. Everyone was already seated at the table, with the food placed in the center. Carlisle and Esme were on one end of the long dining table. Emmett and Rose were on the right, with one high chair on either side of them for Casey and Daryn. Alice took her seat beside Jasper and Sarah, leaving one seat for me, right next to my husband who was refusing to look at me. I sat down in my seat, scooting my chair in closer to the table.

"Everything looks delicious, Esme." I commented as I eyed the array of food on the table.

"Why, thank you, dear." She gave a short nod of appreciation.

Dinner went as planned with everyone laughing, chatting and enjoying the delectable meal Esme had prepared for us. Everyone discussed their work week and how things were going. Emmett mentioned how well he was doing at his law firm. Oh, did I mention? The Cullens specialized in almost everything from law, to fashion, to business, to the medical field. Their name was attached to a lot of major businesses and was very well known. Alice and Rose said that the last week had been the busiest they had ever had at the boutique.

"I had to apologize profusely to the babysitter for getting home so late." Alice said, placing a piece of beef into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully before swallowing. "Jasper was still at the hospital because he wanted to get in extra hours. So, he wasn't able to get home to Sarah."

"You know, Sarah can always stay with me." Esme suggested. "I don't mind. You, too, Rose honey. Casey and Daryn aren't any trouble."

"We know." Rose acknowledged.

"Hey, Bells, where is that niece and nephew you promised me?" Emmett laughed boisterously, food still in his mouth.

"I didn't promise you anything, Emmett." I grinned.

"You two have been married for five years now," Carlisle voiced, wiping his mouth with a napkin as he looked our way.

"Six." I corrected.

"Six….really?" Carlisle looked to Edward for confirmation.

"More or less." Edward joked. I elbowed him in the shoulder.

"Not funny."

"Any talk of a new member of the family?" Carlisle continued.

I wasn't going to be the one to answer, so I looked at Edward expectantly. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked at his father.

"Dad, I already told you, Bella and I will have kids when we're ready." He asserted, stirring the corn around on his plate absentmindedly.

"When exactly will that be?" Esme inquired. "We are not getting any younger."

"Aw, ma, are we not enough?" Emmett proclaimed, placing a hand mockingly over his heart. "You wound me."

Esme rolled her eyes at his goofiness and shook her head. "You know I love you all just the same. Now eat your vegetables."

"Actually, Edward, I think having a child is a great idea." I articulated, turning to him. He eyed me with warning, as if telling me not to bring it up now. He didn't want to have to defend himself in front of his family, especially his parents. But, it's not fair. I've always wanted kids and at one point he did too. Now, with the possibility that I could have one, I wanted to know his current thoughts on the subject.

"Well, we'll discuss it when we get home. As of right now, I would like to finish this wonderful dinner that my mother has prepared for us this evening." Edward said with finality. This meant that the conversation was over, and that I shouldn't say another word about it.

"Oh, come on, Edward! You know we are all wondering when it will happen." Rose declared, coming to my defense. I shot a warning look her way, and she pursed her lips as if to say 'please, what is he going to do?.'

"Honestly, I don't think it's any of your business, Rosalie." Edward denounced, with a short derisive smile before turning it into a frown.

"Why? Did I hit a sore subject?" Rose mocked.

"Children, please!" Esme tried to mediate.

"How about you just worry about your own children?" Edward said irreverently. "This is between me and Bella."

"Well, now it's between all of us!" Rose argued.

"Rose, chill out, babe." Emmett tried to calm her down. "Remember, you're pregnant."

"I don't see how this has anything to do with you." Edward spoke to Rose impassively, knowing it would upset her as he continued eating. He was trying to make her out to be the immature one. Honestly, I was rather embarrassed by his behavior.

"Dude! This is unnecessary," Emmett commented in Rose's defense.

"Quiet, the both of you!" Carlisle bellowed, eyeing both of them with disappointment and anger. "I am very saddened that we can't all sit down to dinner together without being at each other's throats. It's disrespectful to your mother, it's uncalled for, and quite frankly it's downright foolish!" He looked around at the table. No one dared to look him in the eye, even though Edward and Rose were the on the receiving end of his reprimanding. The kids were looking around innocently. "No more! Is that understood?" Carlisle's stern voice rang out.

"Yes, sir." Edward murmured, glaring down at his food.

"Rose?" Carlisle waited expectantly.

Rosalie was still glaring at Edward with her arms crossed over her chest when she glanced at Carlisle before uttering a "Yes, sir" with her jaw clenched. Emmett began rubbing circles into her back soothingly. It was silent before a _clanking_ sound echoed throughout the dining room as Edward dropped his fork to his plate, pushing his chair back abruptly, and leaving the room. We heard the front door slam as he exited the house.

"Good riddance." Rose muttered under breath, earning a sharp look from Carlisle and Esme. I sighed in embarrassment and looked down at my food.

I thought about what would happen when we left that evening, and felt a twinge of nerves as I considered the conversation we would have on the ride home. I had a feeling it was going to be a long night...

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><p><strong>AN: **Uh-oh! Bella might be in trouble! And it seems like having children is a touchy subject for Edward. Wonder why...?

PLEASE REVIEW! THANK YOU!


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N: _**Okay, here's another chapter! **This chapter starts off as a continuation from chapter 4 in Edward's office with Tanya. Then it continues from the dinner at the Cullens in Chapter 5.**

_**Thank you to my Beta **SUNFLOWER3759** for all of her hard work and advice.**_

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and its characters.

* * *

><p><em>Previously from Chapter 4…<em>

EPOV

"_Mr. Cullen," Tanya called delicately. Edward turned back to look at her. "I would like to have a word with you, if you don't mind."_

_Edward nodded with a smile. "Of course, meet me in my office in about fifteen minutes." He turned and left the room, feeling Tanya's gaze burn into his back as her eyes followed him._

**EPOV**

Exactly fifteen minutes had passed before there was a light tap on his office door. He sat up in his chair, straightening his tie.

Edward cleared his throat. "Come in," He beckoned. As expected, the door was pushed open to reveal Tanya, smiling brightly at him. "What can I do for you?" Edward questioned.

"I just wanted to know what you thought about the presentation." Tanya asked, as she leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed.

Edward bent forward slightly, clasping his hands as he resting his elbows on his desk. "Well, I think you did a wonderful job." He said encouragingly.

Tanya nodded slowly and gazed down at her heels quietly. When she didn't show any sign of leaving, Edward peered curiously at her.

"Is there anything else?" He asked, wondering where the confident woman from the boardroom had gone. At his words, Tanya eyes shot up and met his for a moment. She bit her lip and nodded her head nervously. Edward sat quietly in thought before motioning for her to come inside and shut the door. She did so and took a seat across from him.

"What's wrong?" He questioned. As soon as the question was asked, Tanya suddenly broke down in tears. She planted her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed. Edward felt uncomfortable and quickly looked around for a box of tissues. He was thankful that his assistant had brought in a new box just the other day. He pulled them out of the desk drawer and gently pushed them closer to Tanya. He didn't know what else to do, so he settled on waiting patiently for her crying to subside. When it finally did, she sniffed and looked up at him, snatching a few tissues from the box and dabbing her eyes.

"Wow, I am so embarrassed." Her voice quivered as she spoke, sniffling. "I'm sorry you had to see that… I've just been having a rough day." She admitted.

Edward's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. Just this morning she had been happy and perky, greeting everyone in the office as she walked past their desks. And she exuded so much confidence while giving her presentation. What could have changed since then?

"What happened?" He voiced his thoughts, not sure if he really wanted to know. Tanya sighed heavily, shaking her head in despair.

"Oh, I probably shouldn't tell you. It's too personal." She looked distant as she glanced away from him.

"Ok then…" Edward said slowly, not wanting to further upset her. An awkward silence filled the room. Not able to stand it, he continued, "Uh, do you need to leave early?"

"Oh God, no!" Tanya gasped. "I would never let this interfere with my job."

"Well, Ms. Denali, if this is a serious problem then…" Edward trailed off when Tanya shook her head firmly.

"No, I just… needed a good cry that's all." She shrugged with a sniff.

"And my office just seemed to be the perfect setting?" Edward said wryly.

Tanya chuckled lightly through her drying tears. "I'm sorry."

"It's not a problem." Edward replied.

More awkward silence.

Tanya looked around the room, noticing how bare it was. There was no art hanging on the walls. No plants. There was a wooden bookshelf against the back wall, lined with publications, however she was sitting too far away to read any of the titles. The only picture in the room was the one on the top shelf. Edward and Bella were standing on a beach. He was wearing a pair of khakis and a button-down shirt while Bella wore a sundress and hat.

"When was that taken?" Tanya asked, motioning towards the photo. Edward's eyes followed her gesture. He stared at it for a moment, in deep concentration. He remembered the smiles, the laughs, the smell of the ocean.

"That was our vacation in the Bahamas for our fifth wedding anniversary." He answered, the corner of his lips lifting into a smile. "Every year I have a new photo to replace the previous one."

"That's interesting…" Tanya nodded, her eyebrows drawing together. "When is your sixth anniversary?"

"In about a month…May 14th to be exact." Edward answered, leaning back in his chair, clasping his hands behind his head.

"How…delightful." Tanya forced a smile. Edward looked at the clock, noticing how much time had passed.

"Um, well, if there isn't anything else, we should be getting back to work." He suggested.

"Actually, I was just about to grab some coffee in the café. Care to join me?" Tanya offered, looking into his eyes.

"Actually, Ms. Denali, I don't think…"

"Oh, it won't be but a minute." Tanya persuaded. "Please? I could really use the company." She batted her lashes.

Edward smirked. "Why don't you ask Victoria or… Newton?" He grimaced.

Tanya was getting impatient and her playful smile faltered. She took a deep breath to calm herself, not wanting Edward to notice.

"I wanted to run a few more marketing ideas by you." She thought quickly. "And, Mr. Cullen, if I may say, we both know that neither of those two are capable of understanding my ideas the way you do." She leaned forward seductively; all traces of her breakdown a moment ago had vanished. Edward forced himself to look away when her blouse revealed a little cleavage.

"Honestly, Tany – " Edward caught himself. "_Ms. Denali_, I don't think it's such a good idea." Edward replied, studiously focusing on the spot above her head.

"It's just a coffee break, _Edward_." Tanya smiled.

Edward winced at the shiver that ran down his spine when Tanya said his name. He knew he should have corrected her. He knew he should have told her to leave his office. He also knew that his resolve was weakening.

"Fifteen minutes." He said firmly.

"That's all I need." Tanya smirked at him, doing a little victory dance in her head.

* * *

><p><em><span>PRESENT<span>_

_Right after dinner…Ch. 5_

BPOV

As I had predicted, the ride home was tense. Edward didn't say a single word as he glared out at the road ahead of us, his hands clutching the steering wheel tightly. I wanted to say something – anything that would make the situation better. Whenever Edward was angry, he would go into a quiet, brooding mode and not talk to anyone, not even me. I hated when that happened, because even though he wasn't upset with me, it felt like he was pulling away from me.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly. I had to approach this cautiously.

"I'm fine." He replied shortly, not bothering to look in my direction.

"You don't seem fine." I pointed out, crossing my arms. "What was that at dinner? Why were you so angry?"

"Just drop it, okay?" Edward said, jaw clenched.

"No, not this time." I stated, shaking my head firmly. He huffed irately. "Edward, we need to talk about this. I don't understand. Why were you so upset about the family asking about children?"

"I just don't like being bothered about it."

"What bothers you so much? They were just curious."

"It's none of their business."

"They're our _family_, Edward." I stressed. "They have a right to know what's going on in our lives. I personally don't see anything wrong about their curiosity."

"You and I both agreed to have kids when we were ready. They need to accept that instead of pushing the envelope." He countered.

"Okay, I admit, Rosalie was being a little pushy, but she means well." I reasoned. "It must have been the pregnancy hormones. You know how emotional she can be."

"Isabella, they ask about it every time." He stated, finally glancing at me. "Can we ever have a conversation without being questioned about when we will have kids."

"Edward, we're the only couple who doesn't have kids. Who else are they going to ask?" I responded. I was beginning to feel a little aggravated. "I know we talked about this, but I didn't think we would have to wait longer than two years."

"Things don't always work out as planned." Edward rationalized. "With my father retiring so early, I had to take over as CEO of the corporation, meaning I have more responsibilities. It's a tough, competitive business, Bella. One mistake could unravel everything I've worked for…everything my father worked for. Right now we're at the top, and I plan to keep it that way. I need to stay focused. Kids would just get in the way." He said with finality.

Silence.

Words escaped me. It was difficult for me to wrap my head around what he just said. I was stunned…in awe. I bit my lip trying to keep the tears that formed in my eyes from falling. I don't think he realized how much his words had hurt me. He didn't even bat an eyelash. And he said it with such conviction… I just couldn't believe it. I felt sick to my stomach…completely nauseous. I had to lean my head against the window to cool off, taking deep breaths as I tried to calm myself. He didn't bother saying anything else, just continued to watch the road ahead of him.

When we arrived home, I quickly hopped out of the car, not bothering to wait for him to put it in park. I marched up to the door, swiftly unlocking it and hurrying inside. Finally realizing that his words upset me, he called after me, but I just couldn't face him. It was when I reached the stairs that he finally caught up with me. And still I continued to ignore him. As soon as we entered our room, he went straight to his office, closing the door behind him. With a sigh I decided to get ready for bed.

The tub filled up with hot water and bubble bath as I stripped my clothes and pinned my hair up on top of my head. When the water was high enough, I slowly lowered myself in all the way up to my chin, relaxing the muscles in my body. The smell of lavender eased my nerves. I stretched my leg, turning off the faucet with my toes, before lowering it back down under the bubbles. Taking a deep, calming breath, I closed my eyes and rested my head against edge of the tub.

I took the time to think about my life thus far. I thought about college and the time I had met Edward, our wedding day, and our marriage these past six years. The conversation that Alice, Rose, Shurree and I had at the spa was at the forefront of my mind. They were right; at some point in my life, I had stopped doing things for myself and because of that, I gave up my goals in order to support Edward's. Don't get me wrong, I love my husband and I would do anything for him and I don't regret my decision to put my dreams on hold, but when would be the right time to continue pursuing them again?

And what about children? I've always wanted kids, and at one point Edward did too. When did his feelings change? I didn't understand why he never told me, especially when he knew how I felt about it. As I stared blankly at the dissolving bubbles surrounding me, I wiped away a tear as it trickled down my cheek. . I stayed in the tub until the water had gone completely flat and cold, and the tips of my fingers pruned. I had come to a decision, and starting tomorrow, things were going to change.

Draining the tub, I wrapped my bathrobe around my body and exited the bathroom. The lights were out in our bedroom and Edward was lying face down, fast asleep on top of the covers. I stumbled through the darkness, trying to get dressed for bed. When I finally got into bed, I rolled over onto my side, with my back to him. Sleep never came. There were too many thoughts running around in my mind. After an hour, I felt the bed dip as Edward turned towards me. Thinking that I was asleep, he gently grazed the side of my cheek with the back of his fingers and sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and kissed my hair softly. It took all that I had not to burst into tears. Even though he had hurt me, even though he had changed, he was still my Edward. Not CEO of Cullen Corporation, but the man I had fallen in love with. It was this side of Edward that I didn't get to see very often lately. And I missed him.

The next day started off as usual. Edward left early for work and I was left alone at home to my own musings. I had to drag myself out of bed due to the sleepless night I had. Rosalie called me apologizing for the way things turned out at dinner. I told her not to worry and that everything was fine.

After breakfast, I sat in the living room and watched quietly as Bree flittered around the house, trying to find something to clean. Every time she passed me, she would pause and ask if I needed anything. When I said no, she continued on. The wheels in my head had been turning since last night and as I watched her I knew that I was making the right decision. As she made her way back into the room, I stopped her.

"Bree, may I talk to you for a moment?" I asked. She paused and turned sharply towards me.

"Of course, Mrs. Cul – I mean, Bella." She corrected when she saw the look on my face. I sat up and patted the cushion next to me.

"Come sit next to me." I encouraged, smiling kindly. She seemed hesitant as she glanced at the space at my side. Biting her lip, she carefully approached me and took a seat on the edge of the sofa, her back stiff as a board.

"Is there something wrong?" Bree asked nervously.

"No, nothing is wrong, please relax. You've been working for us for about three years now. You cook and you clean… and you do a wonderful job, by the way." I paused to get my thoughts together. "I just wanted to know… are you happy?"

Bree looked taken aback at my straightforward question and blinked, mouth agape. "Uh…" She gasped. "Y-yes, Mrs. Cullen, I am happy. I don't know why you would ask such a thing. Do I appear unhappy? I'm sorry if you thought that I didn't like working here. I really do. Honest." She rambled.

"Bree," I said, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I just wanted to know."

"If you don't mind me asking… why?" She peered curiously at me.

Taking a deep breath, I sighed to calm myself. "Because, I was thinking about making some changes around here and I just wanted to know what you think first."

"What kind of changes?" She asked.

"Bree…" I sighed, looking her in the eyes. "Is there anything that you've always wanted to do, but never had the opportunity to do it? Like a goal or career?"

She thought for a moment before replying. "Well, actually I'm a part-time culinary student at Kendall. I'll be graduating in May." She bit her lip, blushing. "I had this dream of being a chef at Disney World. Silly, I know."

"Oh, no," I shook my head rapidly. "That's not silly at all. I think it's awesome." I smiled. "Wow, Disney World, huh? My parents used to take me there all the time when I was a child. It takes a lot of skill, I'm sure."

"It can be tough, but I'm trying."

"Have you applied for an internship?"

"Yes, for the summer. I still don't know if I've been accepted. They get tons of applications every year. But if I am chosen, I was going to ask you if I could have a few months off." Bree admitted sheepishly. "That is, if you don't mind."

I was in awe of how passionately she spoke about her goals. There was a light in her eyes that I had never seen before. Like just the idea of doing what she loved was enough to get her excited about her future. It reminded me of myself as a freshman in college. If anyone asked me about my aspirations, they couldn't get me to shut-up if their lives depended on it. As I looked at Bree, who was only four years younger than me, I realized that there was so much she could be doing besides cooking for me and cleaning my house. And judging from the hours she works during the week, I don't see how she had the time to go to school, let alone clean her own home. I knew she had what it takes to make it as a chef. It was obvious. Her cooking skills were impeccable. What I don't understand is why she would choose to work for Edward and me.

"Of course, if it would inconvenience you, then I won't go." She said softly, as she looked down at her lap and began twiddling her thumbs.

"Are you crazy?" I questioned, bringing myself from my reverie. My voice raised an octave, causing her to jump slightly. "Of course you can go. Don't worry about us, we'll be just fine. You go right ahead and take that internship. That's an opportunity that you shouldn't pass up." I reassured firmly.

Bree looked up at me and smiled widely. "Really? Thank you so much!" She said gratefully.

"One more thing," I said. "I want to do more around the house and I wanted to know if you would be adverse to… taking a break, if you will."

"A break? You mean…fired?" She frowned.

"No, just a break. Like I said, I want to cook and clean again. I used to do it all the time, but now I find that I have nothing to do anymore and it's driving me crazy."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to inconvenience you." Bree apologized quickly.

"No, no, no, you are not an inconvenience. Actually, you've been very helpful and we really do appreciate all that you do. It's just that I feel like I should be taking on more domestic responsibilities instead of sitting around on my ass all day, you know?" I looked at her and noticed her eyes widen when I said the word 'ass.' I've never said a curse word around her. "I guess what I'm trying to say, would be possible for you to take some time off, just to see how it goes? I'll pay you in advance and this way you will have time to focus on school and your internship. Besides, as you said, you'll be graduating soon and moving on to bigger and better things. This will just give you a head start."

Bree considered my words for a moment before sighing. "What about Mr. Cullen?"

"You just let me deal with him." I smirked. "So what do you say?"

* * *

><p>Imagine my surprise, when Edward arrived home early tonight...on time for dinner...<p>

Around seven o'clock, he walked in through the door with a smile on his face, his jade green eyes shining brightly as he presented a bouquet of Calla Lilies from behind his back: my favorite flowers. He greeted me with a sweet kiss on the cheek, telling me how beautiful I was. Yeah….right. I knew what he was doing. He was still trying to make up for what he said last night. And while I wanted to let it go, I just couldn't. Maybe I was being too sensitive. My emotions were so conflicted. On one hand, I wanted to kiss him, and on the other I wanted to smack him for thinking that a simple bunch of flowers would make everything better.

"You know, I was thinking we could go to a move tonight." Edward voiced as I was putting the flowers into a vase of water. I sat them in the center of the living room table and he walked up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my shoulder. "What do you think?"

A movie? Wow, he must have really felt bad about what he said. We haven't been to the movies since college. When I mentioned this, he turned me around to face him, looking into my eyes.

"I know, and honestly, I think we need to do it more often." He said. "Ever since we got married, we stopped doing the things we used to do, like going to a movie or having a picnic…"

I was surprised he still remembered that stuff.

"That would be nice." I admitted softly. "But I'm actually in the mood to stay in and have dinner with my husband." I smirked, pecking him on the lips as he pulled me closer.

"Alright, anything that makes you happy." He agreed and released me. When his back was turned, I frowned.

_Anything that makes me happy? But of course you meant anything besides starting a family, right?_

Tonight, I didn't want to argue, so I kept my thoughts to myself as I watched him ascend the stairs, loosening his tie. He was going to change out of his work clothes, which gave me time to set the table for dinner. Once I finished, I pulled the lasagna I had baking out of the oven – one of my mother's recipes – and sat it in the middle of the dining room table just as Edward was walking back down the stairs, dressed in a pair of denim jeans and a black, long-sleeved, button down shirt.

"Wow, something smells good." He expressed as he rounded the corner into the dining room. He eyed the lasagna and the bottle of wine and lifted his eyebrows. "What's the occasion?"

"Just thought it would be nice to have dinner together." I said. To be honest, everything worked out perfectly. I was banking on the chance that he would arrive home early because tonight he was going to be in for a surprise.

"Well, can't argue with that." He smirked, pulling out my chair. After I was seated he took the chair across from mine. "Everything looks great." He complimented before taking a bite of the lasagna. "And it taste even better. Bree did a good a job."

I rested my elbows on the table, lacing my fingers together, placing my chin on them. "It's nice to hear you say that," I said with a sly smile as I watched him continue to dig in. "Because Bree didn't make it."

He paused, the fork at his lips. Slowly, he placed it back down on the plate and looked at me. "Bree didn't make the lasagna?" He said. It sounded more like a statement than a question. I nodded in response. He gave a low whistle. "Wow, Bella. This is really good." He praised.

"Thanks."

"But, why?" Edward asked, curiosity etched on his face. "Bree could have made it. That's what we hired her for. Where is she by the way?"

"She's not going to be working here."

"You fired her?" He was shocked.

"Not fired, I let her go." I clarified.

"What's the difference?" He asked dryly.

"The difference is that she is only taking a few months off so she can focus on her studies." I said. "Did you know she wants to be a chef?"

"No." He replied uncaringly.

"Well, she does. She has the opportunity for an internship; I couldn't let her pass that up." I shrugged.

"Ok, you want to explain what this is all about? _Really_?" He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he eyed me speculatively. He knew something was up.

I sighed. "Fine. I want to start doing more around the house."

Edward chuckled, shaking his head.

"It's not funny." I said, annoyed.

"I didn't say it was." He countered. "I just thought that this was going to be something more serious than domesticities."

"It is more than just domesticity." I stressed. "Edward, I can't take another minute of being cooped up in this house with nothing to do. I'm about to go crazy."

"What about your book club, or whatever? And your other hobbies?"

"That's just it, they're just _hobbies_. To keep my mind busy so I don't die of boredom."

"And cleaning and cooking isn't the same thing?"

"No, it's not. It will make me feel like I actually do something important," I confessed. "Like I actually serve a purpose besides being a trophy wife."

"Trophy wife?" Edward repeated. "Is that what you think you are?"

"That's all I've ever been."

He looked as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing, his eyebrows creasing. "You do have a purpose, Bella." Edward sat up straight with a serious countenance. "Just by being here, you're serving a purpose. You're my wife. And that's more than enough for me."

"Yeah, but is it enough for me?" I whisper, glancing down at my untouched plate of lasagna. Edward's jaw clenched and his nostrils flared as he looked down at the table studiously.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked gratingly.

I bit my lip nervously. I knew I had upset him. "Edward, don't blow this out of proportion. I didn't mean that I'm not happy being your wife. I'm just saying that I'm tired of sitting around, waiting for when you need me."

"No one said you had to do that, Bella." He stated, finally looking up at me. "In fact, no one ever said you had to stop cooking and cleaning." He said as an afterthought, eyes dark.

He was getting angry. And so was I.

"You're the one who hired Bree in the first place."

"Actually, I hired the housekeeper after you started working as my assistant. When you stopped working, I offered to relieve her of her duties, and you said no because you didn't want her to lose her job."

"Her name is _Bree_, Edward." I said. "Bree _Tanner_. Stop referring to her as 'the housekeeper.' She deserves more respect, especially since she's been cleaning up after your ass for the past three years."

"It's irrelevant now that she's not the housekeeper anymore." Edward contradicted. "I mean, you did fire her."

"I didn't fire her."

"Whatever."

I huffed. He could be so infuriating. "Edward, I want to go back to work." I stated out right. There, I put it out on the table.

"Is that what this is about?" He asked. "If you wanted to work, why didn't you just say so? You can come back and work for me as my assistant again." He offered.

I shook my head. "No, you're missing the point. I want to work in the field that I studied in college – psychology. And in order for me to do that, I have to go back to school."

Edward looked surprised. "I don't understand. I make more than enough to support us. Is that not enough either?" He asked sarcastically.

"Edward, would you just listen to me for a minute." I requested. "Just one damn minute without getting upset! I don't want to argue with you." I waited for him to say something, but instead he gestured quietly for me to continue. After taking a deep breath, I poured out all of my thoughts. "It's not about the money. Edward, lately I've been devoting my time to being a supportive wife – going to all of your events, hosting parties, attending major meetings with other corporations… I've been doing it all. And don't get me wrong, I enjoy doing it because I love you. You're a great provider and husband and I don't know what I would do without you. But I've realized that I've given up a lot over the past six years. I want to get back to working on my goals and ambitions. Starting with grad school."

Edward didn't say a word after my admission. I glanced down at our dinner, which had gone cold, and waited for him to say something. Anything that indicated he was on my side. After a while, Edward motioned me towards him. I slowly stood up and he pushed his chair back waving me over. When I approached him and gently placed his hands on my hips and lowered me into his lap. He moved my hair out of the way and kissed the back of neck, taking a deep breath.

"Bella, I love you and your ambition is one of the things I admire about you." He murmured against my skin and pulled back. "But, I think that grad school would just be a waste of – "

I didn't give him time to finish and immediately stood up, shoving his arms from around me.

"Isabella…" He tried to reason. I shook my head as I kept my back to him, jaw clenched.

"I'm not asking for your _permission_. I'm asking for you to support my decision." I said firmly, turning to face him. "Can you at least take time out of your busy schedule to do that?"

"So which is it? Do you want to be Suzie Homemaker or Miss Independent?" Edward asked, mockingly.

"I can't do both? Edward, this is my house and I want to take care of it because that's what a wife does. She takes care of her home. But I didn't go to college to do nothing with my degree."

He approached me, lifting an eyebrow. "So, let's say you do go back to school. What exactly are you trying to do? Do you realize how long that will take you? First, you'll need two years to get your Masters. Then, it will take you another five or six years to get a Doctorate. Not to mention starting your career. Then what are you going to do, huh? People are well off into their careers by that time." He looked into my eyes, challengingly. "It's unrealistic and a waste of time." He paused, waiting for me to respond. I only glared at him. Satisfied, he turned and walked right past the dining table out of the room. After a moment, I followed him.

"So that's it!" I called to him as he reached the stairs. He stopped, but kept his back to me with one foot on the step and one hand on the banister. "You can't just dismiss me like that. We need to talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"There's plenty to talk about. So you're saying that me wanting to finally do something for myself is a waste of time? " I crossed my arms, waiting for him to say something. He only stood there, his head hanging down. After a beat, he sighed and turned around to face me.

"Honestly, Bella, do what you want to do. I don't care." He said stoically. "I'm trying to make you see how ridiculous all of this is. You have everything you could ever want and more. Yet, you stand there and complain about how it's not enough? People would kill to have the life that you have."

"You're right, as ridiculous as it sounds, it's not enough." I countered, stepping closer to him. "And I wasn't asking for you approval, I was just letting you know what I was going to do."

There was a moment of silence as he stared at medumbfounded. He shook his head and turned away with a huff, tossing his hand up in the air resolutely. "Well, have a go at it." And with that, he continued up the stairs. I glanced down at the floor and flinched as the sound of the bedroom door slamming shut echoing throughout the house.

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><p><strong>AN: _Please leave a review. I would really like to know what you think! It would help with writing!_**

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	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Thank you so much for the AMAZING reviews posted for the last chapter. You all had a lot of interesting things to say, and I have to admit that I found them very insightful. I'm so happy that you guys are really getting into the story. But I must WARN you, it's going to get CRAZY!

A big shout out to my awesome Beta, **SUNFLOWER3759.** She has really helped me push this story along! ESPECIALLY this chapter!

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and its characters.

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><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

"He said what?"

Shuree, Rose, and Alice stared at me, mouths agape. Shuree pursed her lips and took a sip of her martini.

"_And_ you made him dinner?" Shuree rolled her eyes. "Well, shit, if that's how he feels then do what you want to do." She shrugged, resting her elbow on the bar. "Nothing's stopping you."

"I know I've said this before, but my brother is an idiot." Alice said.

I ran a hand through my hair and huffed. "I just don't know what to do anymore." I admitted. "I thought that going back to school would be a good idea, but now…" I trailed off looking into my nearly empty glass of wine.

After my argument with Edward, I immediately called the girls. I needed someone to talk to. Without hesitation, they suggested we meet at Skyline, an exclusive, non-smoking bar in Chicago. We picked it because of Rosalie's pregnancy. I refused at first, saying it was a Monday night and they needed to rest. But when do they ever listen to me? So here we were, ordering drinks as I told them everything that happened, from talking to Bree, to telling Edward about my plan, which I now realize was completely ridiculous. They listened intently as I spoke. Rosalie rolled her eyes in disbelief, and Shuree gaged on her Martini, but they let me finish before they gave their input.

"Maybe a career in psychology isn't what you need." Rose said, bottle of water in hand. "You thought that's what you wanted because that's what you studied in college. But it's been eight years, if you count the two years after you graduated plus your six years of marriage. Now, you're trying to prove that you can be useful – more than just Edward Cullen's wife. But, honey, you don't need to prove your worth. You are an amazing, beautiful, strong woman with a big heart and a lot to give."

"When didyou become so insightful, Rosalie?" Alice teased, taking a sip of her drink. Rose giggled and shook her head. Alice turned to me and smiled. "She's right. Forget about grad school. You don't need it. What you need to do is figure out what you can do with the resources you already have."

"That's what I'm saying." Shuree agreed. "Girl, we love you, but put that idea in a box and bury it."

"Ladies…." The bartender, Eric, greeted suavely, resting an arm on the counter. He smiled kindly at the girls before turning to me. "Can I get you anything else?"

I blushed. "Um, no thanks. I think I'm fine." I said, sliding the empty wine glass towards him. He picked it up and winked at me.

"Well, just let me know." And with that he made his way to the other end of the bar.

"Can I get you anything? Just let me know…" Shuree repeated in a low voice, lifting an eyebrow, attempting to look flirtatious. She threw in an exaggerated wink for effect. We laughed and she started cracking up, taking another sip from her glass. "Boy, you better go on with that mess. You know she's married." She called over her shoulder causing Eric to turn and smirk at her, shaking his head before serving drinks to the other customers.

After our laughter died down I sighed, moving a strand of hair from my eyes. I looked at my best friends – my sisters – and smiled gratefully at them. "Thank you so much for coming out and for the advice. I really needed it."

"Bella, we will always be here for you." Alice stated firmly.

"I know that's right. We're your girls and we love you." Shuree nodded.

"Always will." Rose said simply.

"Hey!"

We all turned to find a guy with dark hair and tanned skin walking towards us. When he got closer we immediately recognized him.

"Jacob?" I acknowledged. He smiled, revealing his perfect, pearly white teeth. "What are you doing here?"

"A couple of friends and I decided get a few drinks." He said nonchalantly, sliding onto a stool next to us. "They sent me over here. So, what about you ladies?" He asked, glancing at each of us. When his eyes landed on Shuree, his stare lasted a beat longer.

"Just us girls having a drink and a little chat," Shuree answered with a smirk. Jacob nodded just as Eric made his way over.

"Hey, what can I get for you?"

"Three beers, thanks." Jacob requested. Eric nodded and turned to grab the drinks. "Oh, and add their drinks to my tab." He gestured towards us.

"Oh, you don't have to do that." Alice said, waving it off.

"No, I insists." Jacob countered.

"Such a gentleman…" Shuree commented, earning a wink from him. "So, I was thinking about scheduling another appointment at the Peninsula." She tilted her head and rubbed her shoulder. "I've been feeling a little tight."

Rose, Alice, and I giggled at her blunt revelation. Eric sat the beers down on the bar, then moved to greet more customers as Jacob turned to face Shuree.

"Oh, really?" He raised a brow.

"Uh Huh, you think I could make a special request to get you?" She asked, in her extra sassy voice. "I mean, the work that you did last time was just a-m-a-z-i-n-g."

"I don't see why not." Jacob smirked, turning to grab his beers. He stood up from the bar and nodded towards his table. "Would you ladies like to join us?"

"Actually, I really need to get home." Alice politely declined. "But thanks."

"Yeah, I left Emmett at home with the twins." Rose stood up. "Who knows what could have happened by now."

"I'm actually pretty tired. It's been a long day." I voiced and looked at Shuree.

"Um, I think I'll join you guys." She said to Jacob. "Let me just order another drink. You girls go ahead. I'll call you." She waved and stood. Jacob rested an arm around her shoulders.

"Alright… well, I guess we'll see you later." I said slowly, eyeing the both of them curiously.

"Yeah…" Rose smirked knowingly. Jacob and Shuree waved before turning and walking towards his table. We grabbed our purses and turned to head out the front door. "I swear, she's got it bad." Rose shook her head as she pushed open the glass door. We made our way out into the cool night air. As we made our way to the car, reality hit me hard, and I wondered what tomorrow would bring. As I got into the passenger seat, a smile formed on my lips, and for some reason...I had a really good feeling about it. She held it open for Alice and me before following us out into the night.

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><p><em><strong>Three Weeks Later…<strong>_

BPOV

Later in the week, after much thought about my talk with the girls, I finally decided what I would do with my time: a scholarship foundation. If I wasn't going to go to grad school, then I would help others do so. I decided that I would start the foundation through Cullen Corp. The hard part was convincing Edward to agree with it because that was the only way it was going to happen. After our argument we didn't speak for three days. But when he came home one evening, I spoke to him about my ideaafter dinner. He didn't believe me at first, saying that I didn't know what I wanted – that I was vacillating…referencing our previous conversation where I expressed my desire to go to grad school.

"You're all over the place. Next week you're going to tell me you want to open a restaurant, or something." He had said as he loosened his tie. This led to another argument about how he should have more faith in me and my decisions – with our anniversary in just a week, it seemed like our trip to Barcelona was slipping further and further away.

Finally, I told him that not only would this help me, but others as well. He couldn't argue with that. He could be a jerk to his wife, but he wouldn't pass up the chance to give the corporation some great, freepublicity. Carlisle had already started The Cullen Scholarship Foundation when he was CEO, but it was for college students majoring in engineering or business. I wanted to start a foundation that assisted those studying liberal arts and sciences. Edward finallyagreed**,** and I scheduled a meeting with an advisory committee to help me get started. During the past few weeks, we hashed out all of the details such as IRS rules pertaining to charitable giving, how much we would donate, eligibility, selection criteria, and policies.

We wouldn't launch the foundation for another month, so it was still a work in progress, but I finally felt like I was doing something worthwhile. And I wanted to do more. Alice was right, I had the resources, I just had to make the most of them, and I didn't need a Master's degree to do it.

Currently, I was sitting at home going through all of the paperwork, munching on French fries and a chocolate frosty I got for lunch from Wendy's. When I thought about it, I hadn't had fast food in ages. Edward would probably turn his nose up at it. The idea made me giggle as I subconsciously dipped a French fry into the shake. I paused, scrunching my nose as I stared at the now chocolate covered tip. Aw, what the hell. I took a bite and my taste buds rejoiced as I chewed. Wow, how liberating!

"Mmm…" I hummed before picking up another French fry and dipping it into the frozen treat. I think I just found my new favorite snack. When I finished, I exited the bedroom, making my way downstairs to throw away the trash.

When I reached the kitchen, I was hit with a sudden wave of nausea. Leaning against the counter for support, I blamed my unexpected craving for fast food. My body wasn't used to it, therefore it wasn't settling well. After a few deep, cleansing breaths, I tossed the Wendy's bag in the garbage and opened the refrigerator to find something to calm my stomach. I spotted a bottle of 7-Up, grabbing it out before opening the pantry to get a box of saltine crackers. Maybe after munching on this and a nap, I would feel better. I took a glass out of the cabinet and rinsed it out in the sink before filling it with soda.

After putting the bottle away and removing a packet of crackers from the box, I headed back upstairs to the bedroom. I made a quick trip to the bathroom and as I was washing my hands my eyes landed on a box of tampons thathadn't been get put away. I froze, thinking about when I was supposed to start my period. Leaving the bathroom, I grabbed my cellphone off the desk in Edward's office and opened the period tracker app that I had downloaded. When I looked at the date, my heart skipped a beat. I shook my head in disbelief, because if this app was correct, then my period was supposed to have started five days ago.

Exiting the app, I instantly dialed the number that came to mind immediately. The phone rang twice before she picked up.

"Hey, Bella."

"Rosalie…" I said slowly. "Can you come over?"

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><p><strong>3rd POV<strong>

Tanya straightened her blouse and exited the break room. Shortly after, Mike followed a few steps behind her. When she reached her office she paused at her door and turned sharply towards him.

"Is there a particular reason why you're still following me?" she asked. Mike cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I, uh, wanted to ask you if you would like to go to dinner….sometime?" He asked nervously.

"Mike…" Tanya said sweetly. "I already told you, I can't. I just went through a really bad breakup and I'm just not ready for that kind of commitment. You're a great guy…" Her eyes softened and she gently rested her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Uh, yeah, yeah, no problem. _Prff_!" Mike scoffed offhandedly. "I mean, it was pretty stupid, I guess. I-I don't know what I was thinking." Mike rolled his eyes and shook his head. Tanya smiled.

"I'm glad you see things my way."

"Yeah…" Mike's eyebrows creased. "Um, I better get back to work." He shrugged and turned, walking away. When he was out of sight, Tanya huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Idiot." She entered her office, closing the door behind her. Once she settled down in her chair, she flipped open her MacBook signing into her email. She clicked on the envelope icon and read the message.

_Here's what you asked for…_

_-Chase_

Tanya sent him a quick email in reply and clicked on the attachment link and waited for the files to download. Soon, photos were displayed on the screen before her. She clicked on each one, inspecting them closely, a smile creeping onto her face. Quickly pulling out a flash drive, she hooked it up to her laptop, saving the pictures. A sudden knock on her door alerted her.

"Come in," She called, closing her laptop. The door opened to reveal Edward, smirking at her.

"Coffee break?" he offered. Tanya smiled and stood, grabbing her purse.

"Sure."

They both made their way towards the elevators, passing Edward's office on the was at her desk filing paperwork.

"Nina, if I get any calls, tell them I'm in a meeting." Edward requested. Nina gave a short nod, and as they left, her eyes followed their every movement until they rounded the corner. Their little coffee breaks had become routine over the past few weeks. Every other day, they would meet on their lunch breaks to go grab coffee downstairs. Nina didn't understand why,since there was a break room on their floor. It was very odd and she didn't like it one bit. After a moment, she shook the thought from her head and returned to her work.

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><p>"So, tell me, why did you decide to move to Chicago?" Edward questioned as they walked down Michigan Avenue. They were only a block away from the Cullen building, so it wasn't very far.<p>

"Well…" Tanya thought for a moment, taking a sip of her caramel latté. "Besides the fact that Cullen Corp had a job opening, I lived here when I was younger – for a short time though. My family moved around a lot, but I really liked the city. My father was in the Navy and he was stationed here for four years and then we moved to San Diego, where my uncle lived. He owned a small auto shop, which is how I became interested in cars. However, when I realized that I wasn't mechanically inclined,I decided to focus on business and finance."

Edward nodded as he listened intently, hanging on to every word. He didn't know why, but he just found her so fascinating. That's why he hired her in the first place. Yes, she was dedicated, creative, and determined. She was a business woman, which is why he was so willing to give her a position that was so high up in the company.

"And, of course, I landed a job at GM in the New York subdivision, but you already know that story." Tanya smiled and looked up at him. "I want to know more about you. I mean, I know Edward Cullen, president and CEO of Cullen Auto, but what about the other side. What makes you tick?"

Edward carefully thought about her question. "I try to keep my business and personal life separate." He admitted.

"It's a little late for that, don't you think?" Tanya giggled, holding up her coffee. Edward frowned, looking straight ahead. He was thinking about his marriage and how turbulent it was getting, even with his anniversary around the corner. "Hey," Tanya nudged him with her elbow and he looked back at her. "It's fine, you don't have to tell me." She kindly smiled up at him.

The corners of Edward's mouth lifted slightly as he tossed his empty cup into a trash can before looking at his watch. "We should probably get back to the office." He suggested, gesturing back the way they came.

"Alright," Tanya agreed. She did an about face and they headed back towards the Cullen building.

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><p>When it came time to shut things down at the office, everyone was packing up to head home. Nina tapped lightly on Edward's door before slowly pushing it open, poking her head in.<p>

"Mr. Cullen, it's six o'clock, I'm heading home now." She announced. "Do you need anything?"

Edward looked up from his desk and nodded. "No, that's fine, Nina. Have a nice evening. See you tomorrow."

"Thank you. You too," Nina bid, leaving the door open just a crack. Edward sighed, leaning back in his chair as he crossed hisankle over his knee and laced his fingers behind his head, the desk lamp the only thing illuminating the room. He was going to have another late night at the office. He had to prepare for a meeting with the board of directors to discuss new company policies and financial matters. Picking up the phone, he dialed Bella's number to let her know that he wouldn't be home for dinner. When it went to voicemail, he placed the phone back on the hook.

"Knock, knock…" Tanya voiced from the doorway. She pushed the door open further and stepped inside, placing her bag on the floor.

"Shouldn't you be headed home?" Edward asked.

"I thought I'd stick around and help out, that's all." Tanya shrugged before sitting down on the edge of his desk. Edward sat up, averting his eyes back to his laptop, clearing his throat.

"Well, I think I'll be fine. It's nothing I can't handle." He said. Tanya leaned forward across the desk, trying to get a peek at the screen. He was looking at a spreadsheet for the annual budget. She brushed the curtain of platinum blonde hair that fallen around her face behind her ear and inspected the sheet.

Edward glanced up and immediately regretted it when he caught a glimpse down her blouse. His jaw clenched and he turned his attention back to the screen.

"Meeting with the board tomorrow?" Tanya questioned, looking down at him.

"Mm-hum…" Edward nodded as he forced his eyes to stay on the screen. Tanya lightly grabbed his chin and turned his head to face her, looking into his green eyes.

"Why won't you look at me?" She whispered, running her hand from his chin up to his hair.

Edward knew the answer to the question. He just didn't want to admit it.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He lied, moving his body away from her.

"Liar." Tanya declared, tilting her head slightly. "You know, you can look at me if you want to. I don't mind." She continued. "In fact, I'm flattered that you find me so attractive."

Edward shoved back his chair and stood up, walking to the other side of the room. He stood, facing the wall, fists clenched at his sides. Tanya effortlessly slid off the desk, moving towards him. She took a stance directly behind him, their bodies an inch apart, but not touching.

"I honestly don't see anything wrong with it. It's only natural…the attraction between a man and a woman." Tanya voice was low and seductive as she trailed her hand across the back of his shoulder blade, down his toned arm. Edward snatched away from her grip and turned sharply, forcing her to step back a little, or else get thrown off balance.

"You need to leave." Edward stated. "Now."

Tanya eyed him up and down and chuckled. "I don't know why you're in such denial. The only people here are you and me. No one else will know." She stepped closer to him as he glared down at her, nostrils flared. "I know you feel it too…"

No matter how much he wanted to, Edward just couldn't bring himself to shove her away. And no matter how much he wanted to deny his attraction to her, he just couldn't. Suddenly, it was as if he was surrounded by her intoxicating scent of wild blossom, not the strawberry he was used to with Bella. No. This scent was new to him… anddammit, he liked it… a lot.

Tanya reached for his wrists, bringing his hands to rest on her waist as she moved in closer to him. Edward just stood, frozen, not really holding on to her as his body reacted in the way that he knew it shouldn't. She locked her arms around his waist bringing her head to rest on his chest as she breathed deeply. She closed her eyes and imagined that he was hers. And in that moment, he was, and now she knew she wanted all of him. Tanya looked up at him and pushed herself on to the tips of her toes, bringing her lips closer to his.

"Kiss me." The utterance of those words caused her lips to lightly brush against his. She wasn't going to initiate it. No. She would wait for him to do it. Like a predator waited for its prey. Only then would she have total control. "Just one kiss…" She murmured.

Edward swallowed thickly, licking his bottom lip. "And if I do?" He finally spoke, his voice a hoarse whisper. "What then?"

Tanya grinned smugly and breathed a short, light chuckle. "Well then, that would be up to you, wouldn't it?"

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><p><strong>AN: _Yikes! Looks like Tanya's moving in for the kill! What will Edward do? And it appears Bella's got a little surprise..._**

**Review! Review! Review! **_Always a pleasure to know what readers are thinking as the story unfolds!_** Thank you!**

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	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: _Okay, THE MOMENT OF TRUTH. What's going to happen with Edward and Tanya? And what's going on with Bella? It will all be revealed in this chapter! Thanks to all who read and reviewed the last chapter!_**

_Thank you to my Beta,_** **SUNFLOWER3759**. **_As always, she has done a great job with editing and I really appreciate her advice!_

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and its characters.**

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><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

It felt like time was moving very slowly that day. I was currently sitting on the floor against the counter – Rose perched on the edge of the bathtub – as we waited anxiously for the results of the pregnancy test. A mere five minutes felt like five months. I took a deep breath, resting my head between my legs as the room began to spin, beads of sweat on my forehead.

"Hey," Rose voiced. I looked up and leaned forward, resting a calming hand on my knee. "Everything's going to be okay." She reassured.

I nodded, glancing down at the stick next to my foot. Two more minutes… I huffed, looking up at the ceiling in frustration, twiddling my fingers and biting my bottom lip. When it came time to see the results, my hand was shaking as I picked up the test.

"What does it say?" Rose asked, peeking curiously at the stick.

"Positive." I answered faintly, staring blankly at the tiled floor. "That can't be right." I shook my head in disbelief.

"Well you did miss your period, Bella." Rose pointed out. She lowered herself to the floor, scooting to sit directly at my side. "Honey….you might be pregnant."

As her words sunk in, I thought about what I was going to do. Then it hit me. I might be pregnant. A smile crept on to my face at the thought. I could have a baby. I looked at Rose, elation written all over my face and she smiled widely.

"I can't believe it." I beamed. "I'm going to be a mother….maybe." I was finally going to get what I wanted for six years: A family of my own.

"Well, now you have a schedule an appointment with your OBGYN and get a blood test." Rosalie said. "Do you have any idea how far along you could be? When I went to my first appointment, my doctor said that I was a little over eight weeks. I have one coming up next week, so I'll be 12 by that time."

"It had to have happened three or four weeks ago. That's when I missed one of my birth control pills. But that can't be right. These tests can't pick up anything before six weeks." I said, picking up the empty box and reading the fine print on the back.

"I didn't know you missed a pill." Rose looked surprised.

"Yeah, it was when you and the girls took me out." I explained. "I accidentally left my phone at home so I didn't have a reminder."

"I see…" Rose expressed. "So, how are you going to tell my idiot brother-in-law?" She asked. Rose still wasn't on speaking terms with Edward after that night at dinner. This woman could really hold a grudge. Every time we saw them since then, she barely said two words to him: "hi" and "bye." Not that he complained about it.

"I don't know. I want to be sure before I say anything, but if I am pregnant…" I trailed off thoughtfully. "Our anniversary is in a week. Maybe I could surprise him." I suggested.

"Oh, he'll definitely be surprised." Rose chuckled. "He was so adamant about 'waiting until you guys are ready.' Whatever the hell that means." She scoffed, making air quotes. "Well, ready or not, you two are going to be parents."

"I'll also have to explain how it happened."

Rose didn't say a word as she stared at me with a raised eyebrow, pursing her lips and crossing her arms as if to say 'are you serious?'

"I meant that he doesn't know that I missed a pill." I quickly clarified. Realization hit her and she nodded in understanding. "I know he isn't too keen on the idea of having kids, but maybe once he realizes that it's actually happening, he'll step up." I said.

Rosalie raised a brow, looking at me as if I had grown a third arm. "We are talking about the same Edward, right?"

"Rose!" I exclaimed.

"What?" She held her palms up defensively. "I'm just saying that sometimes, he can be a real asshole."

"You think I don't know that?" I said, poker-faced. "Besides, you're supposed to be making me feel better, not worse."

"You're right, I'm sorry." She apologized softly, bring her arm around me. I sighed and leaned my head against her shoulder as she rubbed my arm comfortingly. "Well, look at it this way. If he's a real man and loves you like he says he does, he'll be happy regardless of the timing."

I nodded, listening to everything she said. "Edward loves me." I stated. "And he'll love this baby." I rubbed my flat stomach that now acted as a safe haven for the child I was possibly carrying.

"You have so much faith in him." Rose said. "I just hope you're right."

I stood, helping Rose to her feet before I chucked the third test into the trashcan and washed my hands. We exited the bathroom, heading downstairs to the kitchen. Rose grabbed her purse off the counter and pulled out her cellphone.

"Emmett called," She stated as she listened to her voicemail. "He wants to know if everything is ok. Do you want me to tell him?" She asked as she dialed his number.

"No, I don't want anyone to know. Not even Alice. You and I both know she can't keep a secret to save her life." I requested.

Rose nodded and focused her attention on the phone call. "Hey, Babe… Yeah, everything's fine, Bella just wasn't feeling well and needed me to pick up some medicine… I should be home soon to get dinner started, I just need stop by the grocery store on the way back. Do you need anything?" She paused, brushing her blonde hair behind her ear. "Okay, then I will see soon. Love you. Bye." She turned to me. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I just need to call and make an appointment." I said, waving my cellphone at her. I noticed I had a missed alert and opened it. "Edward called earlier. I guess to tell me that he won't be home on time." I voiced, studying the screen.

Rose huffed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well what else is new? Listen, you call me if you need anything, ok?" She insured as I walked her to the front door.

"Okay. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it." I said gratefully.

Rose nodded. "No problem. Let me know how everything goes."

"I will." I said as she pulled me into a hug.

"I'll see you later." She released me and headed out to her car. I watched as she hopped in, closing the door and starting the engine. She waved as she pulled out of the driveway and disappeared out of sight. With a sigh, I stepped back inside the house and closed the door. I looked down at my phone, once again, determining what I should do next. Around five o'clock, I called and scheduled an appointment with my OBGYN, who could see me the next day for a blood test. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I ran upstairs to my bedroom.

Standing in front of my mirror, I lifted my shirt slightly and ran my hand along my abdomen thoughtfully, and imagined what it would be like to be a mother. A giggle bubbled from my lips and I turned to grab one of the throw pillows off the bed. Stuffing it under my shirt, I stood back and turned to the side, analyzing. I took a deep breath, tears welling in my eyes.

I was going to be a mother.

* * *

><p><strong>3rd POV<strong>

Edward was caught between a rock and a hard place. He stood still as Tanya continued to lazily trail her slender fingers up and down his chest, twirling his tie. He looked down at her, his green eyes darkening with lust.

"Just one kiss." She whispered. Her lips brushed against his ever so slightly, and it was enough to drive him crazy.

Without another moment of hesitation, Edward's grip on her waist tightened, pulling her a little closer as he pressed his lips to hers. Tanya's hands instantly latched on to his collar, tugging him closer as she tilted her head slightly and flicked her tongue against his bottom lip. His hands found their way into her silky hair and he turned them so that her back was pressed against the wall. He nipped at her bottom lip and she gasped, allowing his tongue access. Tanya hitched her leg around his hip and he grasped her thigh. It wasn't until a breathy moan escaped her that he froze. In an instant, he was across the room, both disoriented and breathing heavily.

Tanya's heart pounded as she tried to gain her bearings. That kiss was everything that she imagined it would be and more. A devilish grin graced her features as she watched him pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Fuck!" Edward exclaimed, pacing. He wanted to keep going, but he couldn't. His damn conscience wouldn't let him. His mind immediately flashed to Bella and guilt flooded his body. Another stream of profanities fell from his lips as he continued to pace. Tanya watched him slide his hand roughly down his face with a huff before placing his hands on his waist, jaw clenched.

"Don't ruin the moment." Tanya breathed and he stopped, turning sharply towards her. All he could do was stare at her in disbelief. "This is what you wanted… what I wanted." She continued. She pushed herself off the wall and walked towards him. "It was perfect."

"It was wrong." He deadpanned, turning away from her. "I think you should leave, Tanya."

Her eyes widened and she blinked, taken by surprise at his sudden dismissal. She reached for his shoulder. "You don't mean that." She shook her head.

Suddenly, he was facing her, gripping her wrist to prevent her from touching him. He glared down at her. "Yes, I do." He stated and she snatched her hand out of his grip.

"You'll get over it." She reasoned. "It's eating away at you now because you don't want to accept the fact that we have a connection. But you know it's there."

"You're right…." Edward admitted. "I am attracted to you. But that's as far as it goes. Now, if you would please leave, I have work to do." He sat down at his desk. Tanya chuckled, tracing imaginary circles into the Oakwood of his desk.

"Alright, I'll leave." She relented and leaned forward to look him in the eyes. "Try not to let it bother you so much. It was just a kiss. See you tomorrow, Mr. Cullen." She said seductively and walked to the door, grabbing up her bag in the process. "Oh, by the way, I'll have those marketing reports on your desk tomorrow morning, so you can use them during the board meeting." She explained, her voice taking on a business like tone. Edward didn't say a word as he watched her exit his office, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Only one thought ran through his mind as he closed his laptop, unable to concrete. He placed his elbows on the desk as he rested his face in his palms…. He was fucked.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Next Day<em>**

**BPOV**

"Congratulations, Mrs. Cullen, you are exactly six weeks pregnant." Dr. Rosenberg said as he entered the room with the results. I sat on the examining table, frozen. Six weeks? That's not possible.

"How can that be?" I questioned. "I was on the pill, and I only missed one three weeks ago."

"Well, first off, you should stop taking them now." Dr. Rosenberg sat the clip board on the desk and leaned back against it, removing his glasses as his deep blue eyes stared seriously into mine. "And second, birth control is not 100 percent. There's always the possibility of pregnancy."

"I see…" I said slowly with a nod.

"Do you have any questions?"

"Not at the moment."

"Alright," Dr. Rosenberg gave a clap and stood up straight. "Now, I can prescribe you some prenatal vitamins or you can just pick them up over the counter. It's up to you." He looked to me for an answer.

"I can pick them up today." I assured. "As soon as I leave here, actually."

"Sounds good, and we can schedule your next appointment, which will be in one month." Dr. Rosenberg smiled kindly, the outer corner of his eyes wrinkling. "You can just stop by the reception desk on your way out, and she will set everything up."

"Ok," I said and the doctor helped me off of the examination table. I grabbed my purse and turned to shake his hand. "So, in one month?"

"Of course," He gave a short nod. "Have a nice day, and if you have any questions, feel free to call me."

"Thank you, I will." I grinned, feeling giddy as I left the room. I stopped by the reception desk, scheduling my next appointment before exiting the office and making my way to the elevators.

Once I reached the ground floor, I pushed open the glass doors, stepping out into the bright sun and making my way to my Olympia VG. When I hopped into the car, I sat for a moment, grasping the steering wheel tightly as I thought about how dramatically my life was going to change. This was what I had wanted for a very long time, and now that it's happening, I couldn't help the wave of nerves and excitement that flooded my body. After a moment, I started the engine, backing out of the parking space and pulling out onto the street to make my way to the nearest vitamin shop. In that moment, I knew what I needed to do. I just hoped that it would go well.

* * *

><p><strong>3rd POV<strong>

"So, James wants you to go out with us again this weekend." Victoria said, lightly chewing the tip of her pen. "He says he has a friend that he wants you to meet… Laurent, I think."

"A friend, huh?" Tanya repeated. She was resting against the granite countertop of the reception desk, a stack of papers in her arms. She had just come back printing off a few things and Victoria had stopped her.

"Yeah, I think you'll like him…" Victoria continued. "You know, with your recent breakup and all."

Tanya tilted her head inquisitively. "Who told you that?"

"Newton."

"Listen, Tory," Tanya said. "I'd be happy to see you guys this weekend, but I don't need to be set up on a date, ok?" She bit her lip and smirked, leaning forward. "I've met someone." She said quietly.

Victoria gasped. "Who?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Tanya said jokingly.

"It's not someone from the office is it?" Victoria questioned. "You know how Mr. Cullen feels about that. He doesn't think it's very professional."

"Of course not…" Tanya agreed cryptically. "Anyways, I need to drop these off in his office before the board meeting." She gestured to the stack of papers. "But text me this weekend and maybe we can meet up somewhere. And tell James I said thanks, but no thanks." She winked. With that, she turned on her heel and rounded the corner. When she reached his office, she knocked twice before entering.

"Here are those papers you needed…" She trailed off when she saw a woman, with her back facing her, sitting in a chair in front of Edward's desk. Edward glanced up, an anxious look flashing across his face before he composed himself, clearing his throat.

"Ms. Denali…." He acknowledged professionally before returning his focus to the woman in front of him, with long, mahogany hair. Tanya never took her eyes off of her, peering at her studiously. Suddenly, the woman swiveled around in her chair and gave a half smile.

"Tanya, right?" Bella greeted politely, pretending she forgot who this woman was. As if. She eyed her up and down, noticing her V-neck top and pencil skirt, her platinum blond hair pinned into a high ponytail. "It's nice to see you again."

Waking up from her motionless state, Tanya blinked and then forced a smile. "Yes, of course. How are you? I hear your anniversary is coming up. Congratulations."

"Thanks, I am doing wonderfully." Bella replied, a sly twinkle in her eyes.

"Oh, I can tell. You look positively radiant today. Actually, you've got this glow." Tanya complimented. "Did you lose weight?'

Confusion etched across Bella's features as she turned to face her husband, a tad bit offended, her mouth slightly agape as if to say 'she can't be serious.' Edward immediately stepped in.

"Uh, Ms. Denali, you can just leave the papers on my desk. I'll get to them later." He said.

"Right," Tanya realized that she was still holding the paperwork in her hands. She strutted across the room, bending down slowly as she sat the stack down on the corner of the desk. She threw a wink at Edward, knowing that Bella wouldn't be able to see it. Edward silently threatened her with his eyes as if to say 'not now.'

"Thank you," He said sternly and Tanya stood up straight.

"No problem." She looked down at Bella. "It was nice to see you again."

Bella simply nodded, finding it a bit difficult to keep the smile on her face as she watched Tanya turn to leave, grabbing the door handle and pulling the door closed behind her. She stared at the door for a moment before turning back around to face Edward.

"She's, uh…." Bella paused, searching for the right word. "Interesting."

"She's a good employee." Edward shrugged, wanting to get off the subject. "So, we can grab lunch at the café downstairs or we can go out to eat for lunch. Your pic,"

Bella chose the café and they left his office, locking door behind them.

"Nina, do you want me to get you anything?" Bella offered, grinning at the young woman when they passed her desk.

Nina gave a genuine smile and shook her head. "No thank you, Mrs. Cullen. I'm fine."

Bella nodded before following Edward to the elevators. Nina continued to smile as she watched them leave. She really liked Bella. She remembered when they were interviewing her for the assistant job and Bella had been so polite and caring. It was nice to see her in the office again. Nina thought she had more class than any of the women on their floor combined – especially Tanya Denali. Nina scoffed at the thought and returned to her work.

Once Bella and Edward reached the café, they both ordered what they wanted. Bella got a slice of lemon cake for Nina, and they found a table by the window. They ate in silence for a while, not making eye contact. A thought weighing heavily on his mind caused Edward to speak up.

"What made you decide to come up here?"

Bella shrugged, taking a bite of her very large spinach salad, closing her eyes as she savored all the flavors. She chewed a bit longer before saying, "What, is my presence a problem for you?" she asked.

"No…" Edward replied slowly. "I was just curious as to what brought you to visit me today. You haven't done this in years." He took a bit of his sandwich, dabbing the corners of his mouth with a cloth napkin before tossing it back down onto the table.

"I just wanted to have lunch with my husband, that's all." Bella said innocently. The truth was that she wanted to patch things up with her husband. Since she was going to have a baby, she wanted to make sure that everything was settled. Their relationship couldn't continue on the way it was. It just wouldn't work. So, she decided to be the bigger person and be the first to extend the olive branch. She even made sure to stop by the house to touch up her makeup and change into something nice. She even took the liberty of curling her hair. Not for him, but for herself.

Edward stared disbelievingly at her. He was always able to see right through her charade, as if he could read her mind. "How's the scholarship foundation coming?" He asked, letting it go.

"It's coming along well. We still haven't decided on a name." Bella answered.

"Just name it after you." Edward suggested with sincerity. He would never admit it out loud, but he found what she was doing to be very commendable. He respected the work she had been doing over the past few weeks. He was even proud. It was definitely something he could support, more so than her idea of going to grad school. It wasn't that he thought more school was completely outrageous, he just didn't believe it was a well thought out plan. After all, she didn't need more education, more degrees. And it wasn't about the money, because he could support her just fine.

Bella scrunched her nose, shaking her head. "I think the name should be more meaningful, something significant…profound."

"What's more profound than 'Isabella?' I've always thought your name was beautiful." He said honestly. Bella was taken aback by his comment and he noticed. "What?" The corners of his mouth lifted, forming that crooked grin of his.

"Nothing…" Bella sighed, taking another bite her of salad and looking out the window at the busy streets of Chicago. In that moment, Edward just couldn't take his eyes off of her. The sun shining through the glass reflected off of her eyes, causing them to appear illuminated. It was as if she was literally glowing. When Bella felt his stare she turned to face him, biting her lip. "What?" She asked, bemused.

"Nothing." Edward replied. Silence fell over them as they continued eating. Bella contemplated what she was about to do, twirling her fork nervously. She knew that she couldn't wait. She hoped that he would be as happy about it as she was, but she knew better. Maybe if she told him in a public place, he'd be less likely to freak out.

"Edward, I have something to tell you." She spoke, causing her husband to look up at her. "I wanted to wait until our anniversary to tell you, but after this morning I knew I couldn't wait."

"I knew there was something else." Edward said nervously, as he sat taller in his seat. "So, what is it?" Edward asked with anticipation, all of his attention on her.

Bella took a deep breath and uttered the words that she knew would change everything.

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Don't kill me! I know Edward is going to get some hate for this... but rest assured, the kiss is as far as it goes. _

_Please leave a review and tell me what you're thinking! _

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	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** _Hello, all! Sorry for the late update! Life is going to be really busy for me the next few weeks, but soon I'll be getting a much needed break! I am also sorry that I wasn't able to respond to everyone's reviews on the last chapter! They were all wonderful and I really appreciate the encouragment! Also, thank you to those that have added me and/or this story to their alerts and favorites!_

Big Thank You to my Beta, **SUNFLOWER3759**, for her amazing writing and editing skills. She is really helping me clean up this story!

**Disclaimer:** _Stephenie Meyer owns Twlight Saga and its characters._

* * *

><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

Edward sat motionless, not saying a word. He just stared at me with a stunned look on his face. I scanned the room to make sure no one noticed, and leaned forward rubbing his cheek with the back of my hand.

"Edward, say something, please." I begged quietly. He blinked twice before he huffed, shutting his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. Not a good sign.

"How do you know?" He asked, still massaging his nose.

"I went to the doctor today and got a blood test." I rested my hands on the table. "He said I'm exactly six weeks." This caused Edward's eyes to snap open and he lowered his hand.

"Six weeks?" He repeated with astonishment. I nodded and bit my lip. "When did you stop taking your birth control?" His voice lowered an octave as he glanced around.

"I didn't." I hissed. "You know it's not 100 percent effective. And do you seriously think I would stop taking it without discussing it with you first?" When he didn't say anything, I continued. "I'm going to have a baby."

"Yeah, I got that." Edward said, roughly dragging his hand down his face and cupping his chin. "How did this happen?"

"You should know, you were there." I retorted.

"Look, you don't have to be a smart ass, ok?" Edward snapped and looked down at his watch. "I have to get back to the office, I have a meeting." He was about to stand but I grabbed his arm.

"Wait a minute." I said incredulously. "Is that all you have to say?"

"What else is there to say, Bella?" Edward stressed, snatching his arm away from her grasp.

"I don't know, maybe a little enthusiasm would be nice."

"You know how I feel about this, and you expect me to be happy about it?"

"Yes, call me crazy, but I do expect you to be happy about it. I mean I am your wife, not a one night stand for God's sakes! I expect you to be a man about it, Edward." I crossed my arms. "Whether you like it or not, we are going to be parents. We didn't plan this, but it happened, and I am having this baby! For once in your life Edward, stop thinking like a businessman and act like a husband."

He ran a hand through his hair in aggravation. "We'll finish this later." Edward stated resolutely**, **while standing up. He threw his trash away and left the café, leaving me still sitting at the table. I looked down at my half eaten salad and the slice of cake that I purchased for Nina. With a heavy sigh, I stood and went to dump my trash before heading towards the elevators. When I reached the 20th floor and walked over to Nina's desk, I sat the plastic container down in front of her. She turned from her computer and smiled.

"Oh, Mrs. Cullen, you didn't have to do that. Thank you." She slid the container closer to her and opening the lid.

"It's no problem." I smiled through the hurt I was feeling. "Now you enjoy that, ok?" I said glancing at Edward's office door. Nina nodded, telling me thank you once again before I turned and headed back to the elevators. Suddenly, I bumped shoulders with someone as I passed and I looked up to find Tanya staring down at me.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized, but her tone sounded off and the look on her face was anything but apologetic. Like she knew something that I didn't. I paused as I watched her walk away, rounding the corner and disappearing from sight. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach and I quickly pressed the down arrow button on the elevators. A red flag went up in the back of my mind,but I shook the feeling, writing it off as hormones.

* * *

><p>A deep rumble shook the house slightly as thunder rolled through the sky. The patter of rain hitting the roof and the whistling of the wind was making me sleepy. I yawned, stretching a little. This weather was perfect for taking a nap. I had lit a fire in the fireplace earlier, wishing I could have a glass of wine to relax. I was still reeling from being left in the cafeteria after I told Edward about the baby. Who does that? Who leaves their pregnant wife after an announcement that important? He dismissed me like I was one of his lackeys, or some bad waitress or something. I was mad, but I was also sad. I thought he would rise to the occasion, but he let me down. I decided to call the people who I knew supported me always and unconditionally, my parents.<p>

"Well, honey, how are you feeling?" Renee asked. I switched my cell phone to the other ear as I adjusted to a more comfortable position on the sofa. "Any morning sickness?"

"Surprisingly not," I answered.

"That's good. I didn't get morning sickness when I was pregnant with you. And I still had my period for a little bit, which scared me half to death." Renee chuckled. I heard a muffled voice in the background. "Oh, hush, Charlie. She's 28-years-old." Renee called. "Your father is over hereabout to have a breakdown because he can't believe that his baby is going to have a baby."

I giggled, inspecting my fingernails making a mental note to schedule an appointment for a manicure. "That's my dad…" I sighed, curling my legs under me as I rested against the arm of the sofa. I didn't call my parents as much as I should, but when I did, they always made me feel better.

"So when are you coming back to Forks. We really miss you and everyone keeps asking about how you're doing. How's Edward?"

"He's…fine." I replied weakly.

"Uh oh…that doesn't sound good. What did he do this time?"

My mother knew everything that happened between Edward and me. She even knew about the recent argument we had about my career. Charlie was ready to fly up here and "handle the situation" as he had put it, but Renee calmed him down.

"Nothing, it's just that he's not too eager about having a baby."

It was the half-truth. I didn't bother telling her that he actually walked out on me today.

"Give him time, sweetie. He'll come around." Renee encouraged. I heard a grumbled 'he better' in the background and rolled my eyes. Charlie…

"Mom, he told me children would just get in the way." I reiterated, getting frustrated at the thought.

"He said what?"

Right…I never told her that part.

"He doesn't think we are ready for kids."

"The truth is, baby, he's probably just afraid. You're never going to be ready." Renee said tenderly. "Having a child is a life changing process. You could have all the preparation in the world and you still wouldn't be completely ready because you learn as time passes. No one said it would be easy, but I can tell you it will be worth it."

"Edward, afraid?" I snorted, shaking my head. I don't think I've ever seen Edward afraid of anything. He's always been the one to keep a level head when problems arose.

"You'd be surprised." Renee said. "If men are afraid of anything, it's the idea of having kids. It's a major responsibility…a human life that you have to protect and nourish. They don't have to carry the child for nine months so they don't get to experience that bond that women do. They say men don't truly become fathers until the baby is born. Women become mothers as soon as they find out they're pregnant. Not saying that it can't be scary for us too."

"I understand…" I muttered. "I just have this feeling that something's not right. I don't know how to explain it, it's just…" I trailed off.

"Hey, you listen to me. You're going to be fine, you understand me?" Renee said sternly. "No matter what happens _you _will be okay. Watching you grow up into a young woman was the proudest timeof my life. You were always wise beyond your years. I never had to worry about you."

The sound of jiggling keys and the doorknob turning alerted me. "Hey, mom, Edward's home." I said quietly, glancing at the time on the cable box. _8:25 p.m. _I hadn't even started dinner yet.

"Alright, sweetie, you call me if you need anything." Renee said. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Bye." I hung up just as the front door swung open and Edward stepped inside out of the rainy night, holding a newspaper over his head. He sat his briefcase down, closing the door and twisting the lock just as another roll of thunder rumbled. His hair was a little damp, causing it to appear darker than it usually was. As he kicked off his shoes, he looked up to see me peeking over the sofa at him, my arm resting over the back it. He walked over, making his way around the sofa and I moved my feet so he could sit down. He pulled my legs onto his lap, massaging my calves.

"Hey, love." He greeted gently. I didn't say anything, looking away from him. "I know you'reupset," He continued. "When I went back to my office, I couldn't do anything but sit there and think about what happened. I rescheduled my meeting with the board because there was no way I would have been able to focus knowing the condition that you arein,and not being there with you. I thought about what you said…about how I need to act more like a husband than a business man. I called my father because I needed some guidance and he let me have it, then he passed the phone to my mother so she could get a word in." He chuckled humorlessly.

So, it's safe to say that Esme and Carlisle know about the pregnancy.

"What they said….what _you_ said… made me realize that I can't continue to act the way I do. What I did was wrong. I shouldn't have left you in the café. I should have stayed and talked to you…you needed me and I let you down." He admitted.

Was this an admission of guilt? An apology? From Edward Anthony Cullen? It can't be that easy. It's like his attitude did a complete 180. The girls are not going to believe this.

I turned towards him expectantly, but still not saying anything.

"I guess, what I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry." He said, looking into my eyes, searching. "Do you forgive me?"

I leaned my head back against the sofa, contemplating. "Edward, I don't know. The past few weeks have been…hell." I wasn't going to sugarcoat it. "We're always arguing, we never talk, and when we do talk you never listen to what I have to say. Sometimes I feel like this is more of a business agreement instead of a marriage. I'm not one of your employees, Edward. I am your wife. I don't deserve the way you've been treating me. And what you did today really hurt me, more than anything you have ever done over the past six years. And now you tell me that all is well because you parents told you it would be? How do you expect me to react? I mean, you were cold to me when I told you Edward, cold. You made me feel so insignificant, like I didn't matter, nor did the baby."

"I know." Edward agreed shamefaced, and paused for a moment, contemplating. I studied him curiously, wondering what he was thinking about. He opened his mouth to say one thing, but then shook his head. "When you told me that you were pregnant… I just couldn't wrap my head around it." I could tell that something else was weighing on his mind. This whole thing didn't arise from our disagreements. No. There was something that he wasn't telling me and I had a feeling that it had to do with the unsettling feeling I had earlier. I ran a hand through his hair delicately to calm him.

"What's wrong? You know you can tell me." I said, trying to hide my nervousness.

He shook his head. "I was selfish and I didn't think about how you felt. But this isn't about me. It's never been about me. This is about us, and this baby." He rested his hand against my stomach. "I don't want you to think that you are in this alone, because you're not." Edward took my hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. It grazed my wedding ring. "You're right, I think like a businessman because that's what I am and that's what I know." We locked eyes. "But I'm also your husband…I've been stupid these past few years and I really hope that you can forgive me for that, and I promise you that I will spend every moment making it up to you. Starting now."

Again, the feeling in the back of my mind made itself apparent, I pushed it aside, thinking that I was just being paranoid. If this was going to work, things had to be fine between us. I loved Edward and I was tired of fighting. With that thought in mind, I smiled at my husband and squeezed his hand.

"I accept your apology…but I'm not sure I can forgive you ncompletely." I admitted. The corners of Edward's lips lifted into a weak, lopsided grin and he leaned forward, cupping my cheek in his hand, giving me a tender kiss on the lips before whispering,

"Thank you. I can work with that. But I will earn your forgiveness one day." He said with determination. A moment of silence and then he spoke. "Our anniversary is coming up."

"I know." I said as I turned and rested my head against his shoulder, looking down at the diamond on my left hand that glittered in the dim lighting.

"Do you know where you want to go?"

I lifted my head, peering up at him. "You do realize that we don't have time to plan a trip. These past few weeks have been so hectic that I didn't get around to it."

"That's fine." He ran his hands through my hair. "We can make arrangements to leave that night. While I'm at work, you can pack our things…"

"It's not that simple. We need an itinerary, we need a hotel, we need transportation…it's a lot to do." I countered.

"Where do you want to go?"

"I was thinking Barcelona…"

"We can still go, if you want. I can make hotel and transportation arrangements and you can work on the itinerary." He flipped us over so he was lying on top of me, his weight on his hands. "I think this break will be good for us…"

"Me too."

* * *

><p><em>A Few Days Later<em>

3rd POV

"Alright, gentleman, if there is nothing left to discuss, I guess we can be on our way." Edward said, giving one, resolute clap to punctuate his sentence. A hum of agreement fell over the room as the members of the board of directors stood from their seats, collecting their papers. George Freeman, one of the oldest members of the board walked over to Edward, shaking his hand and slapping him on the back.

"Everything is looking good, Edward. Tell your father I said, hello, will you?" He asked gruffly, pushing his glasses up his nose. Freeman was one of Carlisle's oldest and most trusted friends. Since Carlisle wasn't going to be on the board, he nominated George to take his place.

"I will, sir." Edward gave a short nod and Freeman exited the room, followed by the rest of the board. Edward looked around the empty conference room, inhaling before releasing his breath slowly. It was when he felt a presence behind him,that his breath hitched. He clenched his jaw, closing his eyes tightly. "Ms. Denali."

"What's with the formalities?" Tanya giggled, and Edward turned around to face her, a stoic expression on his face. She sauntered over to him, holding a manila envelope to her chest as she crossed her arms. "Seems like everything went well." She looked around casually.

"What are you doing in here? Don't you have work to do?" Edward frowned as he sidestepped her and headed towards his office. She was hot on his heels. When they stepped inside, she closed the door, locking it.

"Don't worry, I'm not slipping on my work." She smirked. "You've been avoiding me…why?"

"You know why." Edward stated.

"Oh…" Tanya acted as if she just realized it. "You mean the kiss."

"What happened that night, shouldn't have happened, Tanya." Edward said.

"But it did." Tanya declared, light irritation in her voice. "Geez, your acting like we fucked or something. Not saying that I would be opposed to the idea."

Edward clenched his fist, knowing that if he didn't restrain himself, he would do something he would regret. "You're pushing it, Tanya." He gritted out through clenched teeth. "You need to remember your place."

Tanya blinked, stunned. Quickly, she recovered and chuckled, moving the envelope she was carrying to one arm. "Wow," She slow clapped, rounding on him. "You can be threatening when you want to be. I admit you had me scared for a moment. And trust me, I know my place just fine…I mean, you did put me there."

"What the hell do you want?" Edward demanded, scowling.

"Well, I thought it was obvious." Tanya shrugged. "But, since you want to act clueless, I'll let you in on a little secret." She stepped closer and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "You."

The word hung in the air for a moment before Edward scoffed and stepped away from her. "You can't be serious." He paced.

"Why would I joke about something like that?" Tanya asked. "Don't get me wrong, it's nothing romantic. Mostly business."

"Okay, explain." Edward claimed.

"Oh, come on Mr. CEO, don't you know a great business deal when you see you one?" Tanya teased. "Think about it. You and me, we are one in the same. We are both intelligent and career driven. We're go-getters. We see what we want and we go for it, no matter what."

"And…" Edward waved casually as he paced. Although inside his blood was boiling, he didn't let it show. Instead he smirked as if he was impressed. "You wanted me."

"And I pursued you."

Edward stopped pacing and looked her dead in her eyes. "Why me?"

"I just told you." Tanya reiterated. "We would make a great team. With your expertise and knowledge of the industry and my skill of persuasion and computation, we could be unstoppable."

"A power couple." Edward clarified.

"Exactly." Tanya agreed. Edward chuckled and sat down at his desk, pretending to contemplate the idea as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"There's only one problem…" He said after a beat.

"And what's that?"

"I'm married."

"That didn't stop you the other night." Tanya pointed out.

"Yes, but some things have recently unfolded, so this situation isn't as easy as you think it to be."

"Right, you're wife's pregnancy." Tanya nodded and the smirk on Edward's face immediately disappeared.

"How did you know about that?" His jaw tightened.

"Well it wasn't hard to figure out." Tanya said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Come on, I mean she's put on a little weight since I've seen her last."

"Watch it, Tanya…" Edward said warningly. "Tell me how you know. Really." He knew there was another reason.

"You are so clever. I knew I chose wisely." Tanya said proudly. "But, your right. A little birdy told me."

"Who?" Edward demanded, his earlier, calm demeanor gone.

"Now what kind of friend would I be if let that little tidbit of information slip, hum?" Tanya raised an eyebrow as she grinned smugly down at him. "Someone could lose their job."

"And you're about to lose yours." Edward warned menacingly.

"Are you threatening me?" Tanya challenged, placing her hands on her hips. "I would be careful if I were you. Besides, I'm the best damn CFO you've ever had."

"And I can hire another one."

"I doubt that." Tanya motioned passively with her hand. "Now, back to the issue at hand. Are you going to leave your wife or not?"

Edward could not believe this was happening. "You're insane."

"Ouch. You wound me." She deadpanned.

"I'm not leaving my wife, Tanya."

"Well aren't you just noble." Tanya mocked. "Don't you get it? Between your career and our affair, you already left her."

"What affair? We kissed. That's. It." Edward enunciated.

"Yet, you love her?" Tanya spat. "You sure have a funny way of showing it."

Edward shook his head. "You're wrong."

"You just don't want to accept the fact that I'm right." Tanya stated. "Do I make you uncomfortable? Do I just get under that skin of yours?"

"You're fired."

"You're a smart man, you know that wouldn't be a good idea." She said frankly. "I mean, you wouldn't want anyone finding out about us, would you?" She leaned forward over the desk, placing her weight on her hands. "If you fire me, it would be the biggest mistake you could ever make. Well, next to the kiss, of course." She added as an afterthought.

Edward shot up out of his chair and pointed at her, angry. "That's blackmail."

"No, honey, that's business."

"It's my word over yours." He stepped around his desk and approached her, towering over her frame intimidatingly. She didn't bat an eyelash.

"Who the hell is going to believe you?" Tanya stood before him defiantly. "You think they will?" She gestured to the door, referencing the other employees. "What do you think they suppose we're doing in here, discussing the national debt?" She cackled. "Come on! They've seen us leave to get coffee together on our lunch dates, they saw me stay after work with you and they just saw us walk in here and close the door. They already think something is up without actually _seeing_ _anything_. You really dug yourself into a hole, Mr. Cullen."

"You planned this." He said with realization, feeling like a complete idiot.

"Right again." A sly smile appeared on her face and she suddenly messed her hair, opening the top buttons of her shirt while moaning his name loudly. She grabbed at his tie.

"Shut up!" Edward ordered, shoving her against the door, only to earn a chuckle in return.

"Good job. That will definitely make it more believable." She sneered.

He took a step back. "Get. The. Fuck. Out of my office." Edward commanded, his eyes darkening with fury. There was nothing he wanted more than to see this woman burn where she stood.

"Gladly." She replied and pulled open the door to find the whole floor silent as everyone stared at them in shock. Tanya only smiled, pretending to wipe a smudge of lipstick from her lips and turns to Edward. "You might want to fix your tie." She whispered, licking her lips before strutting away, not giving a damn about the eyes following her.

Edward looked down to find that his tie had been loosened when Tanya grabbed on him. He quickly shut his office door with a resounding _bang _and fixed his tie before pinching the bridge of his nose roughly. Anger coursed through his veins as images of what just happened played over and over again in his mind. He couldn't take it anymore and without thinking he slammed his fist into the wall.

Pain seared through his hand, and anger coursed through his body. What had he done? How did he let this woman go so far ...how did she manage to manipulate him, to jeopardize everything he held dear. What would he have to do to make things right? What would he have to do to protect his family? He thought of Bella and the life growing within her. Tanya would stop at nothing, he knew this now, and that thought made him sick to his stomach. He leaned back against the wall and slowly his body slumped to the floor in anguish. Blackness took over his mind, and everything went quiet.

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><p><strong>AN**: And so the truth comes out! Edward has really messed things up... What will Bella do when she finds out? Next chapter will be posted soon! Thank you!

_****REVIEW PLEASE**** _

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	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** _Here's chapter 10! I can't thank you all enough for your amazing reviews! They really motivate me to keep writing! I try to show my appreciation and reply to everyone's reviews, however a couple you have the PM feature disabled. Just know that I appreciate your support too! As well as those who add this story to their favorites/alerts. Much love!_

_Virtual hugs to my beta, **SUNFLOWER3759! **This story just wouldn't be the same without her guidance and patience...and kick-ass beta-ing skills!_

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and its characters...blah, blah, blah.

On with the story!

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><p><strong>3rd POV<strong>

Bella had two new best friends this evening: Ben & Jerry. Picking up the spoon from the kitchen counter, she scooped more vanilla ice cream from the tub, placing the spoon in her mouth so that the creamy, frozen treat was on her tongue and the cold silver of the spoon touched the roof of her mouth. She turned the heat of the stove down to low as she continued to stir a sprinkle of basil into the tomato sauce. When she was satisfied that it was perfect, she removed the spoon, spun back around to the ice cream, and dove in to the tub for another scoop. Stepping back, she pulled open the oven door, checking on the meatloaf. The smell wafted throughout the kitchen and she smiled, satisfied with the way dinner was turning out.

_Bam!_

Bella nearly jumped five feet in the air at the sudden slamming of the front door. Closing the oven, she removed the small towel from over her shoulder, placing the spoon in the tub and headed towards the living room, her heart pounding against her ribcage. She relaxed slightly once she realized it was only Edward, but when she noticed the look on his face her anxiety didn't subside.

"Hey…you're home early." She greeted cautiously as she watched him pace in the entry way. "What's wrong?" He didn't respond, he just kept pacing, murmuring something indistinguishable to himself. "Edward. Edward, what are you – " She paused when he suddenly stalked past her. Bella chased after him, her short legs not able to keep up with his long strides. He walked into the kitchen, stopping at the island, leaning against it as he looked down at the polished, granite counter top.

"Edward, what's going on? What's wrong?" She questioned. When he didn't move, she stepped closer to him, taking his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. She searched his eyes, trying to figure out what they were hiding. "Listen, you're _scaring _me, Baby. Don't shut me out. You can tell me anything." She expressed. "What's wrong?" She repeated for the third time. Noticing he was getting ready to deny it, Bella continued, "And don't try to say 'nothing' because this doesn't look like nothing." She lowered her hands from his face.

"Bella, I…" Edward stopped, looking down at the floor. He composed himself before continuing, "Just… something happened at work today, I'm fine." He assured, looking her in the eyes.

"Something happened at work?" She repeated with skepticism, stepping back with a hand on her hip. "If you're fine, then what would you call that little episode when you walked in?" She asked, motioning in the direction of the living room.

"I was just frustrated." Edward replied. "Just a few employees are getting out of hand."

"Oh…." Bella said faintly, still with doubt. "Well, maybe we should forget the trip and stay here so you can handle the situation."

"No." Edward said determinedly. "It's nothing I can't handle. Besides, I'm not going to let someone ruin our anniversary. Ok?" He held she shoulders firmly as he kissed her on the forehead.

"You're lying." She stated knowingly.

"I'm not lying, Bella." He tried to placate.

"Just tell me the truth." She coaxed.

"The truth is that some of the employees got out of hand! That's the truth." Edward asserted.

"Ok…" Bella said slowly, a little unsure. "Well, I don't know what it is, but apparently it's something that you can't tell your wife. If it was just an employee, you would have just fired them." She pointed out. She thought she heard him mumble something like, 'if only it was that easy,' but she didn't question it. "I thought we were actually making progress."

"We are…" He sighed.

"Then tell me," She said, looking deeply into his eyes. "Look me in the eyes, and tell me the truth. What happened?"

They locked eyes, having a stare-off as Edward silently analyzed the situation. This was his chance. He could tell her now…the truth….the whole truth. Get it off his chest. Sure, she would be angry, but they could work things out. They had to. He knew he was stupid for falling into Tanya's trap. And he knew that if he didn't tell Bella about the kiss and the confrontation at work, it could mean the end of his marriage if she ever found out later. But then his thoughts took another route…what if he didn't tell her? What if he stuck with his story? Their anniversary is tomorrow and they would be leaving on their trip to Spain. They'll be gone for a whole week. Why ruin it? And they _would _be going on that trip. There was no way he was going to let Tanya mess that up. He didn't need to worry about the office because he could always keep track of everything through live video chats and phone calls. He could still run a corporation overseas. He just needed time to think. He needed a plan to get rid of Tanya. He knew if he fired her, it would backfire and tarnish everything he had worked so hard for. No, he needed something foolproof. Something that would ensure Tanya wouldn't ever say a word.

With that in mind, he spoke. "Bella," He looked her straight in the eyes, and told the biggest lie he had ever told her. "I assure you, everything's fine. It was just a few employees. I'll fire them tomorrow."

Bella let his words sit for a moment, deciding whether or not to believe him. She finally decided to trust her husband, and hope that she was making the right decision. Smiling softly up at him, she said, "Just remember, I'm always here for you." She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting she head against his chest. He stood frozen for a moment before his arms slowly wrapped around her, pulling her closer.

"Promise?"

Bella found it odd that he would need reassurance and peered up at him, perplexed. "I promise." she said, even more worried than she was before. What could have happened today that troubled him so?

* * *

><p><strong><em>Next Day…<em>**

**BPOV**

Giddiness bubbled within me as I skipped down the steps to get the laundry. Today, I have been married for six years. Just thinking about it gave me chills of excitement. Edward left a red rose next to my pillow that morning with a love note. He promised he would be home early this evening. When I reached the laundry room, I opened the dryer, grabbing out our clothes and tossing them in the basket before loading another pile of freshly washed linens. I picked up the basket, resting it on my hip before taking it down to the living room. I sat in front of the lit fireplace and began folding and separating different piles to pack for our trip. Moments later, the sound of the doorbell alerted me and I quickly sidestepped the laundry basket leaving the living room and headed towards the front of the house. When I reached the door, I pulled it open to reveal the mailman.

"Mrs. Cullen?" He asked.

"That's me."

"Here you go, ma'am." He handed me an 8 x 11 manila envelope.

"Thank you…" I knitted my eyebrows as I inspected the package.

"No problem." He gave a short nod, tipping his hat. "Have a good day." And with that, he turned on his heels and left. I closed the door and locked it with a soft _click_ as I continued to examine the envelope. There was no return address on it, so I had no idea who it was from. Sitting down on the sofa, I slowly peeled open the seal. When I retrieved the contents, I gasped. Pictures. Pictures of Edward…and Tanya. A note slipped out from the stack of photos and I read it slowly.

_Just thought you should know the truth…Happy Anniversary!_

_-Tanya_

My heart thudded faster as I flipped through each photo, tears welling in my eyes. There was one of the two of them in the café chatting and smiling; another was of them walking down Michigan Avenue, their bodies a bit closer than that of just casual coworkers. Another photo was of Tanya appearing to be leaning in to whisper something in his ear. The rest of the photos were of a similar nature. I dropped them on the table as if they had burned my fingers as I nervously ran a hand through my hair. I didn't know what to think. I knew he was hiding something, but I didn't think it would be this. And to think that yesterday I gave him the opportunity to tell me the truth and he didn't. The pictures were innocent enough, but the message behind them was clear. I didn't want to believe it, and a part of me denied that Edward would do something like that. Then, my sadness was overridden by anger. What else had they done together? It made me sick to even think about it. I could handle a lot of things from Edward, but cheating wasn't one of them. Definitely not, that was a deal breaker. If Edward did cheat, then it would mean the end of our marriage. No question about it. And at that moment, I knew what I had to do.

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><p><strong>3rd POV<strong>

Edward tried to ignore the looks he received when he walked into the office that morning. He kept his head up and eyes forward as he marched past the employees. The floor became silent as they turned and watched his every step, as he made his way towards his office. The secret was out. Now everyone knew what had been going on between him and Tanya. It was painfully obvious, especially after her little show the day before. It was like no one wanted anything to do with him. When he past the reception desk, Victoria didn't greet him in her usually perky voice like she always did. She only stared down at the files on her desk as she twirled her pen nervously. The only person who was even remotely cordial was Nina, and that was only because she was his assistant and had to interact with him on the daily basis. Even Newton didn't bother him that morning. Edward knew he needed to do something to fix this and he needed to do it fast. He couldn't let his control slip. He was the CEO of the corporation and he was still in charge. After he reached his office and had an order of roses sent to his wife for their anniversary, he leaned back in his chair, thinking about what he should do. Suddenly, his door swung open and Tanya poked her head inside. He glared at her as she smirked back at him.

"Wow, it's like a morgue out there." She snickered, stepping inside and closing the door. Edward sat forward impatiently.

"Happy anniversary!" She said, producing a card from behind her back. Edward didn't say a word, just staring at her blankly. "Hallmark has the cutest cards. It was difficult to pick one." She tossed it down on his desk. "Well, aren't you going to open it?"

"Look, Tanya, I may not have fired you _yet_, but if I were you, I would step lightly."

She sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Haven't we already had this conversation?" She said in a bored tone as she took a seat. "You won't fire me. You wouldn't dare."

"Don't be so sure, Tanya." Edward warned. "You must be forgetting that extortion is a criminal offense."

"This isn't the Mafia, Edward. Don't be so melodramatic." Tanya scoffed. "You might want to do a little more research. In order for it to be considered extortion, I have to make a threat of violence, which, if I do recall, hasn't happened. Blackmail, as you had put it the other day, would be the correct term for this situation."

"Which is also considered a form of extortion, in case you didn't know."

"Even if you did want to take it up in court, your reputation would be tarnished. Everyone would know that you, Edward Cullen, America's most successful business man, according to Forbes magazine, are a cheater and liar. You would lose everything that you have worked hard for, everything that your _father _has worked hard for. What a scandal that would be."

"Dammit, Tanya, when are you going to realize that a mere kiss and a few outings isn't enough to do any damage?"

"If you're so sure, then do it." She leaned forward, glaring challengingly at him. "Fire me." When he just continued to stare at her she began to speak in a soft, low voice. "You see, Edward, I'm a lot smarter than you think I am. You have no idea what I'm capable of. Sure, it was just a kiss and a few outings, but with the right staging, it can look like something much more damaging."

"And you think me leaving my wife wouldn't do the same thing?"

"Irreconcilable differences…" She said indifferently. "I would say that's a lot less harsh than cheating on your pregnant wife just weeks before your anniversary. Wouldn't you?"

"Remember when I said you were insane? Yeah, that was an understatement." Edward deadpanned. "Leave my wife out of this little game of yours, Tanya."

"But it's so much more fun."

"Do you want to handle this like adults or are you just going to keep toying with me?"

"What do you think?" Tanya asked smugly.

"Then consider yourself unemployed." Edward said with finality. "You have 24 hours to pack up your things and get the hell out of my office and my building."

The smug smile fell from Tanya's face and was replaced with one of cold fury as she squinted her eyes, jaw clenched. "So that's how it's going to be?"

Edward gestured behind her. "There's the door." He said shortly.

A giggle bubbled from Tanya's lips before she burst into a complete fit of hysteria. Edward huffed as he watched her, perplexed. She stood, her laughter dying down. "Fine…have it your way. Just know that you are making a big mistake. You will regret this." She said straight-faced.

"I'm sorry, would that be a threat?" Edward asked sardonically, tilting his head.

"No…" She shrugged backing away. She turned sharply on her heel, pulling open his office door before turning and looking over her shoulder. "It's a promise." With that, she slammed the door behind her.

Edward sat for a moment, licking his bottom lip as he stared at the spot Tanya was just standing in. He didn't know if what he had just done was the right thing, but he knew he couldn't have Tanya around while he was gone for the week. If she was going to cause trouble, then he needed to make sure he had a good defense. He didn't have a full plan yet, but he would. Resolutely, Edward leaned forward, grabbing the phone off the hook and dialing the number to his lawyer.

* * *

><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

I continued on with my day, making sure dinner was made and the house was clean. Our clothes were packed neatly in the suitcases sitting by the front door. It was like they were mocking me as I stared blankly at them from my seat at the dining room table. The flames of the candles flickered, providing the only light in the room. Wax slowly dripped down to the candelabra placed in the center of the table, as the food sat getting cold. The manila envelope was placed right next to the crystal vase of a dozen roses that Edward had sent to me earlier today. I received them shortly after I got the mail…the irony of it all. What I would have considered a sweet gesture was only a bitter mockery. I don't know how long he was planning to keep up this charade, but the thought only caused anger to boil inside me. I seriously contemplated throwing the vase at him as soon as he walked through the front door. But, no. I have to approach the situation differently. I need to keep a clear head…stay calm… catch him off guard.

The sound of the lock turning caused me to perk up and I focused on the front door. When Edward stepped inside he glanced down at the luggage and smirked.

"I see you have everything packed." He called as he closed the door. He still hadn't noticed me sitting at the dining room table, watching him as he removed his suit jacket. "Something smells great." He continued, walking further inside. Edward was heading towards the stairs, about to pass the dining room when he froze. He turned towards my direction slowly, squinting at the dimly lit room. "Babe? Why are you sitting in the dark?" He chuckled as he flipped the switch, causing the light to illuminate the room. We locked eyes and he smiled as he approached me. "Happy anniversary." He wished, leaning down to kiss me on the lips. At the last moment, I turned my head causing his kiss to land on my cheek. He leaned back, confusion written over his face. "What's wrong?"

"Dinner's getting cold." I stated nonchalantly. He glanced at the clock.

"I know I'm a few minutes late, but I didn't think it would be that big of a deal." When I just stared at him, not saying a word, he took his seat cautiously. Clearing his throat, he said, "Everything looks delicious."

"Thank you." I said shortly.

"Baby, what's with the cold shoulder?"

I sighed, twiddling my fingers a bit as I thought about what to say. My hand twitched, ready to smack him, but I held strong, not wanting to lose control. Finally, I spoke.

"Edward," I started calmly. "I've put up with a lot from you over the years, because I loved you. However, there is only so much a woman can take. Now, I'm only going to ask this once. But before I do, I want you to understand what the stakes are. Because, if you _lie_ to me, you are going to regret it. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I think so… What's this all about?" Edward asked, peering hesitantly at me.

"Good." I ignored his question. "Now, the question is: did you have an affair with Tanya Denali?" A fierceness that I have never felt before took over my body.

Edward's eyes widened, taken aback. "What?"

"Answer the question."

"Where is this coming from?"

"Edward, my patience is wearing thin."

"No, I didn't have an affair with Tanya!" He instantly denied. I let his answer sit for a moment before a screeching sound filled the silence as I pushed my chair back and stood. I stalked over to him, looking him dead in the eyes.

"Is that the truth?" I asked, arching an eyebrow challengingly as I leaned forward, resting my hands on the table.

"Yes, it's the truth, Bella." He stated, keeping eye contact.

I licked my lips, nodding as I took in his words. Heaving a sigh I picked up the manila envelope and tossed it at him. "Then explain these!"

Surprised, Edward pulled out the photos, scanning each one. I watched his reactions carefully, noticing how his surprise melted into anger, his jaw tightening and his nostrils flaring. His head snapped up at me, looking like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Where did you get these?"

"It doesn't matter where I got them, the point is that I _have_ them." I asserted, snatching the photos away and waving them around. "So, you're telling me you didn't have an affair. Because from the looks of it, you two seem pretty cozy."

"Believe me when I say that I did not sleep with Tanya." Edward stared up at me determinedly.

"How can I possibly believe anything you say?"

"Because it's the truth!" His bellowed as he stood up from his chair, coming face to face with me.

"How long have you been keeping this from me?" I demanded, crossing my arms.

"Nothing happened, okay?" Edward asserted glaring down at me. "Yes, maybe I shouldn't have let her get so close to me, but I swear to you, she means nothing to me."

"Oh, yeah, then why did she send me these pictures?" I waved them in his face.

"Because she's a crazy, delusional bitch!" He screamed. "Those photos don't prove anything. Don't you see what she's trying to do?" He asked, desperation filled his voice as he grabbed my shoulders, looking me in the eyes. "She trying to break us apart. She's just jealous. She wants us to argue, she wants us to fight, that way she can get what she wants."

I snatched away from his grip and started pacing. "And what exactly does she want, Edward?"

"She wants me."

I stop and look at him incredulously. "And that's the answer of a pompous ass. You know, I didn't think you could be so arrogant, but you have proven me wrong."

"You don't get it, Bella." Edward shook his head. "She wants me because she wants more fame and power."

"Wow, since when did this become a plot to a bad movie?" I asked with sarcasm. "You're story is sounding more and more ridiculous as this conversation continues."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want the truth."

"You want the truth?"

"Yes, Edward! Are you stupid or slow?" I mocked childishly. He scoffed, rolling his eyes. I approached him slowly, circling him a little. "Tell me." I demanded.

"Okay, Bella, the truth is I kissed Tanya." He admitted. "But that's it."

"You kissed her? You kissed Tanya but you didn't fuck her?"

My blunt revelation took him by surprise, but he still remained composed. "How many times do I have to tell you I didn't sleep with her?"

"Did you want to?"

"That's a loaded question."

"It's a simple yes or no answer."

"Bella, it was just a kiss."

"Just a kiss? You kiss me all the time."

"That's different."

"How?"

"Because you are my wife. That bitch means nothing to me."

"But you _kissed_ her. You went on lunch dates with her."

"They weren't lunch dates…"

"Of course they were fucking lunch dates, Edward! Stop denying it! It's all here!" I threw the pictures in the air, and they scattered to the floor. "Were you ever going to tell me? If I didn't get these pictures today, would you have told me the truth?"

"I would have."

"When? Today? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? How could you not know?"

"I just needed time."

"Time for what? To come up with more lies you could spout at me?"

"Bella…"

"You don't get it, Edward! This isn't just about the fucking kiss! You stepped out of bounds! You cheated on me! Yes, cheated! There's no point in sugarcoating it. And it may have been just a kiss, but it was also with a woman who isn't your wife! I gave you the chance to tell me, but you stood there, looked me in the eyes, and lied. You lied to your family, you lied to _me_. And I not only believed you, I _trusted_ you. I trusted you with everything I had, and you still betrayed me."

"Just, please, listen to me for a second…" He pleaded, eyes filled with remorse. This was the first time he actually looked regretful since we started arguing.

"SHUT UP!" I screeched, traitor tears streaming from her eyes. "Now it's your turn to listen to what I have to say for once! Six years, Edward. Six fucking years. And that may not be much to you or anybody else on this _damn _planet, but it means a lot to me. Marriage means something more to me than just a piece of paper or some extravagant ceremony. This," I flashed him my wedding ring as I removed it from my hand. "This was your promise of commitment to me. And now, it means nothing." I threw it at him. "I have sat around and taken all your shit. I gave you everything I had and yet, it wasn't enough."

"I made a mistake, I admit that, but…"

"But what?"

"I won't do it again."

"Won't you?"

"No I won't because I love you." Edward stated firmly.

"What? I can't hear you."

"I said I – "

"I _heard_ what you said! 'You love me'! That doesn't mean shit! It didn't mean shit when you were with her. And it doesn't mean shit now! But do you know what does?"

"What?"

"You know what? Never mind. Do what you want, it doesn't matter to me. Not anymore. I don't even know who you are, Edward. After six years, I. Don't. Know. Who. You .Are. Just tell me one thing…why? Was it her breasts, her ass, the smell of her perfume? Was it because she wasn't me? Did you have a reason? Any reason at all?"

"Bella, I was weak. And I know that's a shitty excuse, but that's why."

"And that's all you have to say about it?"

"What else do you want me to say?"

"Honestly, there's nothing you can say. But there is something you can do."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to leave."

My words stunned him silent. He creased his eyebrows, gazing at me with disbelief.

"And go where?"

"Honestly, at this point, I don't care! As far away as possible. _Hell_ would actually suffice."

"Now you're taking it too far."

"No. You know what? Save yourself the trouble. I'll leave. Why inconvenience you? You stay here, in this big ass house, all by yourself. And get used to it. Because that's how it's going to be."

"What do you mean?"

"I need a break."

"A break from what?"

"From you, Edward. I need a break from you….from us."

"Bella, you can't leave. You said it yourself, we need to communicate. We made a commitment to each other."

"Don't you dare stand there and preach shit about commitment when you don't even know the meaning of the word." I scoffed. "I'm going."

"Wait, where?"

"I'm going to lie down in traffic, Edward. I'm going to let a crosstown bus roll over me because my life is meaningless since you betrayed me. Why the hell would I tell you where I'm going?"

"What about the baby?"

"The baby and I will be fine." My hand subconsciously moved to my stomach and our unborn child. The child that he didn't want. "We'll be fine. Goodbye, Edward." I grabbed my suitcase and headed to the front door.

"Wait, wait, wait. I'm not letting you leave." He stepped in front of me.

"Edward, if you don't move out of my way…"

"Love, don't go."

"Don't call me that! You have no right to call me that! Now move."

"But – "

"MOVE!" I shoved him out of the way and start to walk out of the house when he suddenly grabbed me. I struggled as he held me by my upper arms, his grip tight. "Let go of me!" I start swinging at his chest, trying to shove him off me. "LET. GO!" With one final tug, I broke free and with all my might, I slapped him across the face with a resounding _smack_! His hand went to his cheek in shock. My hand pulsed from the sting of the slap, but seeing Edward's stunned, red face made the pain worth it. This gave me a chance to walk out of the house and to my car that was already waiting for me in the driveway. The top was down, so I tossed my suitcase into the backseat before climbing into the driver's side. Edward quickly came to my side, latching on to the door.

"Bella, please, wait. I'm sorry." He begged.

I buckled my seatbelt.

"Please, can we just work this out? I need to tell you something."

I start the engine, checking the rearview mirror.

"BELLA!"

I stepped on the gas with a loud squeal of the tires, putting the car in reverse. Edward jumped back just in time. He stood there, awestruck. As I pulled down the driveway towards the street, I watched him in my rearview mirror become smaller and smaller before disappearing from my sight.

When I felt like I had driven far enough, I pulled over to the side of the road. After placing the car in park and cutting the engine, I rested my face in my hands, not able to hold back the tears any longer. My shoulder shook as I sobbed uncontrollably. How could I have been so stupid to let him fool me for so long? I sniffed as I lifted my head and looked out at the surrounding area. I had no idea where I was going to go. Renting a hotel room downtown had been my first thought, but I knew I was just too emotionally and physically exhausted to drive that far. For a moment, I considered going back. But, I couldn't see him. Not now. Alice, Rose, and even Esme would have let me stay at their place, but I just didn't want to burden them with my drama at this hour. Suddenly, my phone lit up and I glanced down at the screen. Scoffing when I saw his name, I turned it off and sighed. My hand went to my belly and I rubbed it thoughtfully. I just needed a place to stay for the night and just relax. The stress I was feeling wasn't good for the baby. After a moment, I glanced in the mirror at my luggage in the backseat. Finally coming to a decision, I licked the salty tears from my lips and started the engine. Suddenly it became clear. I knew where I would go. Someplace where no one would judge me. Someplace where I could think and reflect.

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><p><strong>AN**: _Everytime time they take a step forward, they take two giant leaps back! When will Edward ever learn? The truth shall set you free! Unless of course you admit to cheating...then your spouse shall set you free...if she/he doesn't kill you first._

**_Reviews are ALWAYS welcome!_ **

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	11. Chapter 11 TEASER

_**A/N:**_ Okay, so I decided to give you all a little teaser as well as ask a huge favor! This story has been nominated for _Fic of the Week_ over at **The Lemonade Stand **at _tehlemonadestand . blogspot . com_. Super excited! But in order for me to get in the _top five _and have the story placed on the recommended list, I need my readers to vote! So if you can, please visit the site, tehlemonadestand . blogspot . com and vote "The Way That I Love You" as one of the Top Five stories in the poll to the right of the page! I would really appreciate it! This is my first nomination (and hopefully won't be my last). There is only **ONE** more day left to vote (I know it's short notice but I just found out myself). So please, go on there and vote! Just being nominated is great!

_**By the way, BIG thank you to the reader(s) who nominated this story! Much love!**_

_**Thank you, SUNFLOWER3759, for being an AWESOME Beta!**_

_Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and characters._

_Alright, on with the teaser!_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 11 Teaser…<strong>_

**3****rd**** POV**

Edward sat on the porch step, twirling Bella's wedding ring with his fingers. For hours he had been sitting outside in the chilly night air, his mind reeling from the fact that his marriage could possibly be over…and it was his entire fault. If only he had told Bella the truth in the first place, he wouldn't be wondering if he would ever see this ring on Bella's left hand again.

A sudden vibration in his pocket alerted him and snatched his cellphone up and answered it, not bothering to check the I.D.

"Hello? Bella?" He said hopefully.

"Ah, so my plan worked." A smooth, sensual voice responded and Edward's grip tightened around the phone.

"Tanya!" He spat.

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><p><strong>AN:** _Keep a look out for the complete chapter, which I will post soon! Also, go vote! Thanks a bunch!_


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **_First, I want to thank everyone who voted on the Lemonade Stand for Fic of the Week! I appreciate the encouragement and the support! It really motivates me to keep writing! Also, thank you to those who left reviews and/or added me and this story to their alerts and favorites list. _

_Thank you, __**SUNFLOWER3759**__, for being a wonderful Beta!_

_Now, on with the story…_

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and its characters.

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><p><strong>3<strong>**rd**** POV**

Edward sat on the porch step, twirling Bella's wedding ring with his fingers. For hours he had been sitting outside in the chilly night air, his mind reeling from the fact that his marriage could possibly be over…and it was entirely his fault. If only he had told Bella the truth in the first place, he wouldn't be wondering if he would ever see this ring on Bella's left hand again. When she left, he called her nearly a dozen times, but each call went straight to voicemail. She had turned off her phone. She could be anywhere by now. His heart kept screaming to go after her, but he knew that it would only make things worse. She wouldn't hear him out…not tonight. If she wanted space…time to think, he would allow her that. He vowed to himself that tomorrow, he would go look for her and bring her back home where she belonged. Edward stood up and placed the ring in his pocket before heading inside. He looked around, feeling an overwhelming sense of loneliness. The house was quiet….too quiet. He was so used to having Bella around , that it was foreign to not have her there.

He walked into the dining room, the candles had burned out and the food looked dry and cold. The incriminating photos littered the floor, mocking him. He clenched his fist and made his way to the living room. The fire place shed a dim glow around him, being the only source of light he had. The flames flickered and crackled as he took a seat on the sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Edward knew that firing Tanya would be a bad idea, but she challenged him. She practically _dared _him to do it, and now, looking back, he realized how stupid he was. It was like a pissing contest. He wanted to prove that he had the upper hand and by doing so, he made a major mistake. He should have had a better plan, he should have anticipated that she would do something like this. How could he have not seen this coming...It was so obvious…so cliché. And yet, he fell for the trap. Now he knew what this would be. It was all turning into a game of wits. He wouldn't win by arrogantly making rash decisions. Tanya was an intelligent woman – he would give her that, and he would just have to out-smart her….beat her at her own game. Now he just had to figure out how?

A sudden vibration in his pocket alerted him and he snatched his cellphone, not bothering to check the I.D.

"Hello? Bella?" He said hopefully.

"Ah, so my plan worked." A smooth, sensual voice responded and Edward's grip tightened around the phone.

"Tanya!" He spat.

"I have to say, I am quite shocked." Her tone was less than amiable. "I thought it would be a lot more difficult to get her away from you, but she's proven me wrong once again. Who knew a few staged pictures was all it took to get her to leave your ass? It's sad really…maybe she's always doubted you. Maybe she never really trusted you. This is just too easy." Tanya antagonized.

"What the fuck do you want, Tanya?" Edward demanded, standing up. He started pacing across the room. "My wife left me, congratulations to you for succeeding!" Bitter sarcasm dripped from his voice. "You're not getting your job back so you can just leave me the hell alone." He stated ominously as he glanced at the Roman numeral clock above the mantel of the fireplace.

The hour hand was on the _III_ and the minute hand was just past _IV_. _3:21 a.m._

"You really think this is about getting my job back?" Tanya asked indignantly. "No…this is about seeing you, Edward Cullen, crash and burn. I would like nothing more than to watch your whole empire crumble beneath your feet." Her voice was laced with disdain.

Edward's jaw clenched as he took in her foreboding words. "I don't understand, why are you so hell-bent on ruining me?" He questioned. "What would you possibly achieve by this? All your scheming, all your planning…what is it worth?"

"You know, Edward, sometimes people do things for the sake of seeing others get hurt." Tanya sighed nonchalantly. "I admit I did want you at first. You had something I desired….something I craved. There was something about you that seemed so powerful…so dominant. It's a shame, really. We could have had something special."

Edward had stopped pacing moments ago and now found himself posted up near the fireplace, his arm resting on the mantle, his hand tugging at his hair. The blaze casted an orange glow across his face as he glared down into the flames. "So this is because I rejected you? Is that it?" He surmised.

"This goes so much deeper than that, Edward, much, much deeper…" Tanya voiced cryptically. "In fact, there are a lot of things that you just don't know."

"Like what?" Edward demanded.

"Ask your father."

And she was gone. Just like that, their call had been disconnected without so much as an explanation. Edward cursed and threw his iPhone against the back wall, watching as it broke apart and clattered to the ground. They had only spoken for four minutes and she had managed to floor him with three simple words. They played over and over again in his mind as he tried to process them. Ask your father….ask your father…ask your father. His father? _Carlisle_? What did _he_ have to do with anything?

Edward wasn't sure, but he was going to find out. Pushing himself away from the wall, he pulled his keys from his pocket as he made his way out the front door into the chilly night air. His mind immediately flashed to Bella when his eyes landed on the spot where her car had previously been parked just hours ago. He knew he should give her space, but he couldn't stand the idea of her getting hurt. He instinctually went to reach for his phone but remembered what he had done to it. With an aggravated growl he made his way over to his car, clicking the button on his keys to unlock the doors. The headlights flashed, and opening the door, he lowered himself into the black leather seat. Putting the keys in the ignition he started the engine. Music blasted from the speakers and he abruptly shut off the radio. He was going to question his father…definitely. But he needed to find Bella first.

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><p>He didn't want to do this. Out of all the places he wanted to be at this very moment, here wasn't one of them. Edward grimaced as he slowly raised his fist and gave three knocks to the luxury apartment door. As he waited out in the brightly lit hallway, he looked down at the welcome mat and shifted his weight from his left foot to his right. The sound of the lock caused him to look up. The door was pulled open and he gave a weak smile as the person eyed him up and down.<p>

"Oh, _hell_ no…" She rolled her eyes, resting her hand on her hip. "Edward, what the hell are you doing here at the crack of dawn-thirty?" She demanded, tightening her midnight blue, thigh-length silk robe.

"I just wanted to know if Bella was here." Edward explained.

Shuree arched an eyebrow. "Why on earth would she be here? Aren't you supposed to be on a plane to Barcelona right now?"

"So she's not here?" Edward asked for clarification, ignoring her question.

"No, but – "

"Then I should go. Sorry for interrupting your sleep." He sighed tiredly before turning and heading towards the elevators.

"Wait, what's going on? Is Bella missing?" Shuree asked following him out, not caring that her sleep mask was still on her head, and her feet were bare. Edward kept walking with blunt disregard to Shuree's questioning. She finally caught up to him and grabbed his shoulder, trying to stop him. Don't ignore me, Cullen." Shuree crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him expectantly.

Edward ran a hand through his hair in aggravation and turned sharply to her. "Look, Shuree, I'm trying to find my wife. If she's not here, then there's no point in wasting my time."

"Aw, hell! What did you do now?" Shuree glared up at him.

"That's none of your business!" Edward replied sharply.

Shuree knitted her eyebrows indignantly. "Don't raise your voice at me, asshole. Let's get a few things straight, okay? I don't like you, I'm tired as hell and I'm this close to going off." She brought her thumb and forefinger close together to demonstrate exactly how short her temper was. "If my best friend is missing, then it is my business, even if it is your fault."

"I know you don't like me, the feeling's mutual, trust me." Edward rolled his eyes and pressed the call button for the elevator. "And Bella isn't _missing_. She just left after we had a little…disagreement, which, by the way, has nothing to do with you so you can just stay out of it."

"A little disagreement? Yeah, right." Shuree scoffed. "I'm pretty sure she wouldn't just walk out on you because of a little disagreement. I'm sure she's fine, you could be freaking out for nothing. Have you tried calling her?"

"Of course I have." Edward huffed just as the elevators doors slid open. He stepped inside and turned to face her. "Listen, if she calls you, let me know alright? Please?" He begged.

"Well since you said please." Shuree replied mockingly.

"Thank you." Edward said and pressed the button causing the steel doors to slide close. Shuree crossed her arms and stood for a little bit, anxiously chewing on her bottom lip. When the numbers above the elevator started going down she hurried back to her apartment. Once inside she grabbed her cellphone off of the glass coffee table, bringing it to her ear.

"Hello? Bella, you still there?" She asked quietly as she lowered down onto the sofa.

"Yeah, is he gone?" Bella responded.

"He just left." Shuree reassured. "Look, he may be a jerk but he seemed really worried about you, Bella. You need to call him and let him know you're okay. This guy is going to comb the city looking for you."

"I know, I know, Shuree, I know." Bella sighed through the phone. "I just need time. Edward needs to understand what he could lose. He needs to know what it's like not having me around."

"I see…" Shuree nodded to herself. "Well, whatever you decide to do, you know I'm behind you one hundred percent."

"Thank you."

"No problem, girl. Do you need anything else?"

"I'm fine. We should be boarding the layover flight soon, so I'll call you when I get there." Bella said.

"Alright, you be safe." Shuree bid. "I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, I will, thank you. Bye…"

Shuree lowered her cellphone and pressed the end button before leaning back into the cushions and heaving a heavy sigh. Quiet filled the room and she stared up at the ceiling for a moment before closing her eyes. "Please let things work out fine." She whispered to nobody in particular.

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><p>Edward gripped the steering wheel tightly as he sped down the street towards Emmett and Rosalie's house. When he pulled into the driveway, he cut the engine and climbed out of the car. After slamming the car door, he walked up to the front door and knocked. When no one answered for a few minutes, he knocked again repeatedly, this time a little louder. Suddenly the porch light turned on and the door swung open to reveal a tired and disheveled looking Emmett wearing a t-shirt and a pair of boxers.<p>

"What the hell, bro? Do you realize what time it is?" He grumbled, squinting his eyes to get a better focus.

"Is Bella here?" Edward asked trying to peek over Emmett's broad shoulder.

"What?" Emmett's eyes widened. "Dude, what are you talking about? Of course she's not here. She's supposed to be on a plane with you."

"What's going on?" Rosalie appeared behind Emmett, tightening her long silk robe around her body. She spied Edward and glared. "What's _he _doing here? Do you realize what time it is? You could have woken the twins." She hissed.

"He's looking for Bella." Emmett stated, glancing down at his wife.

"Bella's missing?" Rosalie gasped.

"She's not missing, she just left." Edward grumbled.

"Oh, so you did something stupid again, and this time she finally left you, is that it?" Rosalie said stonily and stepped forward causing Emmett to back out of her way. She grabbed the edge of the door, leaning against it slightly. "If she left you then she obviously doesn't want to be bothered with you. So why are you looking for her?"

"Because she's my wife and she needs to be here with me." Edward responded through gritted teeth. "Now, if she's not here, then there's no point in me wasting time staying here talking."

"Wait a second, why didn't you just call?" Emmett questioned curiously.

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. "Because I smashed my phone," He mumbled.

"You really have anger issues…" Emmett snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Rosalie rolled her eyes and stepped to the side, holding the door open wider.

"Well come inside and we can call everyone else." She insisted. "Spare them the rude awakening…"

"Thank you." Edward stepped inside. Rosalie closed the door behind him and went to retrieve her iPhone. Emmett led him to the kitchen and flipped on the light over the stove before opening up a cabinet to grab three glasses. Edward leaned against the granite island and watched as he filled them up with ice and water before sliding one over to him. "Thanks," He took a sip.

"So what happened, exactly?" Emmett asked just as Rosalie walked into the kitchen, the phone to her ear. He handed her a glass of water before taking a sip from his own.

Edward sighed and sat down his glass, resting his forearms on the counter. "When I arrived home from work, Bella confronted me about some pictures Tanya sent to her."

"Tanya Denali? The CFO?" Emmett inquired.

"_Ex_-CFO." Edward emphasized, taking a gulp from his glass. Rosalie glanced at both men as she hung up the phone.

"Bella isn't with Alice. She's going to call Carlisle and Esme to check." She spoke before rounding on Edward with accusation. "What did you do?"

"Tanya Denali sent pictures of us to Bella. When I arrived home, Bella confronted me about them and after our argument, she left. She didn't want to hear anything I had to say. She just left…" Edward explained solemnly.

"Wait, why would Tanya have pictures of the two of you together?" Emmett probed.

Edward groaned and dragged his hand down his face. And then, it all clicked into place. Rosalie's eyes widened with realization.

"Edward, tell me you didn't!" She pleaded with bewilderment.

"I didn't!" He defended. "She set me up. The pictures were just of the two of us grabbing lunch together. That's. It."

"Jeez, Edward, you're an idiot!" Rosalie spat and poked him in the chest with her index finger. "Why the hell would you be grabbing lunch with Tanya in the first place?"

"Calm down, Rose. I'm sure he has a logical explanation." Emmett came to his brothers defense. Then, he turned to him expectantly. "You do have a good reason why you were with her, don't you?"

Edward ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck with a grimace. "Well…" He said slowly.

"Dude!" Emmett threw his hands up, exasperated. Two soft cries drifted down from upstairs and Rosalie sighed with exhaustion.

"And now they're up." She shook her head. "There's no way they're going back to sleep now." She mumbled as she left the room, leaving the two men alone.

Silence fell upon them, neither wanting to look at the other; One out of guilt and the other out of disappointment. Emmett finally stared critically at Edward, his countenance serious.

"I just want to know…" Emmett voiced , causing Edward to look up at him. "Did you cheat on Bella? You may be my brother, but I consider her my baby sister and if you hurt her, then I'll – "

"Relax, Emmett. I didn't have sex with Tanya….we just kissed." Edward tried to placate.

"Isn't that just as bad?"

"According to Bella, it is."

"That's enough for me." Emmett reached to grab Edward by the collar, but he dodged out of the way.

"Wait!" Edward held up his hands yieldingly. "Before you start swinging, I just want you to know that I stopped the kiss immediately after it started. I just couldn't do that to Bella and I regret every moment I spent with that vile woman. I fucked up; I get that. And trust me I'm paying immensely for it."

"Don't worry, Man, I'm not gonna hit you… even though you deserve it." Emmett deadpanned. "Besides, I think you've suffered enough."

"Gee, thanks." Edward said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"How did Tanya get pictures, anyway?"

"I think someone from the office is helping her." Edward speculated. "Look, Emmett, Tanya is trying to set me up. She wants to ruin everything I have worked hard for, starting with my marriage. I don't know why she's doing this, but I really need to have a proper defense against whatever Tanya is planning. And I need to find Bella fast and get things straightened out. The longer she is out of my sight, the more I worry about her."

"You think Bella's in danger?" Emmett inquired.

"Not necessarily, but when dealing with Tanya, I can't afford to not be cautious. Especially with the current state Bella is in."

"You mean the baby?"

The guys turned to find Rosalie standing in the kitchen doorway, holding a sleepy Daryn and Casey in each arm. Emmett walked over and gingerly took Daryn in his arms and she immediately rested her head on his large shoulder, her tiny, bright blue doe-eyes peering around the dimly lit kitchen. Rosalie adjusted Casey to a more comfortable position on her hip, but he was alert, looking at everyone curiously.

"Wait, Bella's pregnant?" Emmett asked, surprised.

"You knew?" Edward rounded on Rosalie.

"I was there when she took the test." She confirmed. "Bella told me not to tell anyone until after she spoke with you."

"Esme and Carlisle know too, by the way. So, you don't have to keep it a secret anymore." Edward shrugged.

"So what are we going to do?" Emmett eyed his brother carefully.

"I don't know yet, but I need to speak to Carlisle so I'm going to head over there right now."

"What for?" Rosalie asked.

"It's complicated. I'll tell you guys later." Edward dismissed.

"Then we'll go with you, I just need time to get myself and the twins dressed. I'll call Alice and let her know what's going on." Rosalie asserted.

"Fine, whatever, just hurry." Edward stated , and made his way towards the front door. Emmett followed Rosalie upstairs to get ready.

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><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

As the plane descended closer and closer to the ground, my heart pounded with excitement for what was to come. I gazed out of the airplane window from my seat in first class, getting a bird's eye view of the beautiful sight before me; my home for the next seven days. When the wheels finally touched down, I waited anxiously as we pulled into the gate of the airport. The captain's voice rang out over the intercom:

"_Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Barcelona, Spain. The weather is currently bright and sunny with a temperature of 18 degrees celcius and should be warming up to a nice 25 degrees. Please remain seated until the seatbelt sign is turned off. And thank you for flying with British Airways."_

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><p><strong>AN:** And so the plot thickens… seems like Carlisle has some explaining to do. What do you think? Comments are much appreciated!

Also, 18 degrees celcius = around 64 degrees farenheit. So, 25 degrees celcius = around 75 degrees farenheit.

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	13. Chapter 13

**A/N**_**: I know it's been a while since my last update, but I haven't forgotten about you guys! This chapter is just a filler so it's short, but you'll get more information on Bella and Edward's relationship in the next one. Too all of the new readers: Welcome! Hope you enjoy!**_

**My beta, **_**SUNFLOWER3759**_**, has been wonderful with all of her help! She's really guided this story along and I appreciate her work.**

**Disclaimer: **_Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight Saga and its characters._

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><p><strong>EPOV<strong>

The sun broke over the horizon in the early hours of the morning, dawn had arrived. . We all pulled into the driveway of the family home. Rosalie had called ahead to let our parents know that we were coming. Alice and Jasper were there when we arrived. Esme was in the kitchen brewing tea while the rest of us were sitting in the living room, waiting impatiently, everyone anxious. The silence was deafening, but it gave me a lot of time to think about what I was going to say. I was sitting on the arm of the sofa while Rose and Emmett sat on the cushions with the sleeping twins in their arms. Alice and Jasper were cozied up in the loveseat with Sarah playing on the floor at their feet. Carlisle, always the patient one, sat coolly in his usual chair, staring calculatingly at me.

"Son, where's Bella?" He finally questioned. At that moment, everyone's eyes shot in my direction.

"I was just wondering the same thing." Esme spoke, as she entered the room, setting the tray of tea cups down on the coffee table. Carlisle took a cup to be polite, as did Alice and Jasper, but the rest of us were too on edge to do so. She then turned to look at me. "It's your anniversary weekend. You two should be together right now."

"Too bad Eddie screwed it up." Emmett grumbled, earning a light smack on the arm from Rose.

"Don't even say that." I hissed, glaring at him. He met my glare with one of his own.

"What is he talking about?" Esme said, as she eyed me speculatively. I rubbed the back of my neck, not responding.

"Edward." Carlisle addressed firmly. I looked to find him staring expectantly at me.

"Bella and I got in an argument…and she left." I admitted.

"What?" Esme's eyes widened.

Carlisle shook his head. "Edward, what else happened? Does this have to do with her pregnancy? I told you that you need to accept-"

"It's not about the pregnancy." I sighed, running a hand through my hair before pinching the bridge of my nose. "Look, I made a mistake, but I'm going to fix it."

"Oh, please! Are you seriously going to sit there and tip-toe around the truth?" Rose scoffed, squinting her eyes at me. "Edward cheated on Bella." She stated turning to face my parents.

Esme gasped, shaking her head. "No," She said with disbelief.

"Is this true?" Carlisle asked somberly.

"No! I mean….not completely." I grimaced. They only stared at me, waiting for an explanation. "Look, there was this woman at the office. I'll admit, I was attracted to her, but I didn't sleep with her. I would never do that to Bella. We kissed, that's it. And now she's holding it over my head. She sent pictures to Bella and she completely freaked. She left me….and I don't know where she went." I said quietly, clenching my jaw as I stared down at the floor.

"What woman?" Alice voiced.

"Tanya Denali, the ex-CFO. Edward fired her." Emmett explained.

"Wait, you mean the woman that was with you at the car launch?" Alice looked at me. I nodded and she rolled her eyes. "We knew something wasn't right…" She shook her head. "It was like she was attached to your hip the whole night."

"She was not attached to my hip the whole night, Alice." I said.

"No? Then why was Bella with Rose, Shuree, and me at the bar the entire night while the two of you mingled with the rest of the guest?

"It was strictly business." I spat.

"If that was the case, you wouldn't be in the mess you're in now!" Rosalie fired back.

"Okay, that's enough." Carlisle raised his hands yieldingly. "We need to approach this situation calmly. Now, has anyone tried contacting Bella?"

"We've all called her, she's not answering her phone." Alice answered.

"What about Shuree?" Esme suggested.

"I was at her place earlier. Bella's not there." I clarified.

"Well, she couldn't have gone far. She probably rented a hotel room downtown." Jasper tried to reason.

"But she knows Edward would easily be able to find her. All he'd have to do is check her last credit card transaction." Alice picked up Sarah and sat her on her lap, bouncing her a bit.

"But a hotel doesn't charge until after your stay. So it wouldn't show up as a transaction." Emmett pointed out.

"True…" Jasper rubbed his chin in thought. "Then, if you don't mind me asking, what was the last transaction on your card?" He eyed me carefully.

"The plane tickets." I said without hesitation. We all froze as the words sunk in. "Fuck…" I mumbled , as I stood up and started pacing. "I can't believe I didn't figure it out before. Why the hell would she do something so ridiculous?"

"You didn't know your own wife left the country?" Rosalie asked skeptically.

"It's not like Bella to do something like this." I countered. "It wasn't my first thought. That trip was to celebrate our anniversary. Why would she want to go to Barcelona?"

"To get as far away from you as possible." Rosalie sneered.

I stopped pacing, and glared at her, clenching my fist tightly at my sides. "I'm sick and tired of you always getting on my case."

"Because you're always screwing up." Rosalie returned , with a glare of her own. Daryn started moving in her arms, letting out a soft whimper. Rosalie rested the child against her shoulder, rocking her gently as she patted her back. When Daryn quieted down, Rose continued in sharp whisper, "If it wasn't for you thinking with your dick instead of using the brain in that thick skull of yours, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. It's your own fault and I don't feel the least bit sorry for you. I hope she divorces your ass."

"Now that's a bit extreme, Rosalie." Esme said, coming to my defense.

"Leaving the country is a bit extreme, don't you think?" Emmett said. "I mean, don't get me wrong, Bella has her reasons, but I just wanted to put it out there that she left without a single word. We're all sitting around worried about her, come to find out there's an ocean separating her from us."

"Emmett's right, but Bella honestly believes Edward slept with Tanya. I don't blame her for leaving." Alice said.

"No one's blaming her, but we at least could have received a phone call." Emmett insisted.

"Bella will call when she's ready." Carlisle, always the mediator, tried to placate. "I'm not pointing a finger at anyone. Edward and Bella need to work it out themselves. But until then, we're just going to have to wait for her to contact us. Trust me, Bella is a smart woman. She'll be fine." With everyone in silent agreement, he looked at me. "Now, Edward, what is it that you needed to talk to me about?"

"Finally, we get to the reason why we're all here in the first place." Emmett groused. Ignoring my brother's remark, I rounded on my father and he waited patiently for me to speak.

"After Bella left, I received a call from Tanya. When I asked her why she's been blackmailing me, she didn't give me a straight answer. All she said was that I should ask you." I stated. Everyone looked at Carlisle curiously.

"Ask me what?" He questioned bewilderedly.

"Do you have any connection to Tanya Denali whatsoever?" I asked, outright, not even believing it was possible that he would. Esme, who had been standing loyally by his side since she entered the room, peered down at my father stunned.

It was silent, as Carlisle paused for a moment, appearing to collect his thoughts. "Possibly, yes." He admitted. Everyone gasped, and my eyes widened.

"Carlisle, explain." Esme demanded, crossing her arms as she stepped slightly away.

"But, not in the way you think." Carlisle continued. "I never knew her personally. I didn't even know about her until recently. When Edward introduced me to her at the car launch weeks ago, instantly recognized her last name, but I didn't worry too much about it; At least, I tried not to." He sighed. "God, it's been so many years, I didn't think…" He trailed off, reflecting.

"Didn't think what?" I stressed.

For the first time in a long time, Carlisle appeared to be unsettled. Ever since his heart attack, he's been very careful not to let anything upset him, which is why he's always the calm one out of all of us.

"Listen, I haven't been completely honest about how the Corporation got its start." He said. "When I was in college, I met a man named Eleazar Denali. He was my old roommate in our junior year. By that time, I already had the plans for Cullen Auto in the works but I didn't know how to go about getting it off the ground. Eleazar told me that his family worked in the auto industry and he had a few connections. Now, he didn't know much about business, but he knew someone who did. He's the one that introduced me to Aro Volturi. Around graduation, we began work on the project. Eleazar helped with work on the Cullen 28c. Back then, we were tight on money. I mean, we had just graduated, so we had a lot of debt from student loans. Eleazar knew how to get the parts for the car and the V-6 engine." Carlisle explained, heaving a heavy sigh.

"I didn't question how he got them; I only cared about finishing the project." He continued. "With the success of the Cullen 28c, we knew that the company would be a success and I offered Eleazar a percentage of the company. However, before we could draw any contracts, I found out what his family really did. Apparently, they had been stealing cars for parts, which is how Eleazar got the parts for the Cullen 28c. I considered Eleazar a good friend, so I didn't know what to do. Aro said that it was bad for business, and suggested that we should cut ties with the Denalis. I was hesitant at first, but when Eleazar and his father were arrested after getting caught making another run, Aro insisted that when the contract was drawn up, Eleazar's name not be included in anything. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't afford to let the company go under. If it got out that the Cullen 28c was made up of stolen parts, Cullen Auto would have died. Esme and I had just married and we had been living with her parents because we couldn't afford a home of our own. I made a difficult decision, but I had to take care of my family. Eventually, Eleazar tried to sue, but he didn't really have a case without giving himself away. Our friendship ended on bad terms, obviously, and the last I heard of him he had moved out the California." He paused for a moment, in thought as we took in his story.

"Why didn't I know about this?" Esme finally voiced.

"I didn't want you to worry about anything." Carlisle reason.

"What else haven't you told me?" My mother pressed.

"Trust me, that's the only thing I kept from you. I didn't want you to think I was a crook."

"If you had told me the truth, I would have believed you."

"I know, and I am sorry. But believe me when I say that I never intended to deceive you." He said, as he pulled Esme closer to him.

"I believe you. It's nothing we should worry about now." She appeased. "What's done is done. We need to figure out what this Tanya girl is up to."

"But I don't remember hearing about him having any children, but I could be wrong. Tanya could be his daughter." Carlisle said thoughtfully.

"But that can't be right. Tanya told me her father was in the Navy. You can't join any part of the military with a criminal history." I said.

"She could have lied to you. It probably wouldn't be the first time." Rosalie stated.

"But she did say she had an uncle in California. Did Eleazar have a brother?" I inquired.

"Now that you mention it, he did have a brother who was only a year older than him, but they weren't on speaking terms, so Eleazar didn't talk about him much. You're right, Edward. If Tanya was telling the truth and her father was in the Navy, then he couldn't have a criminal record, which would explain why he and Eleazar weren't on speaking terms. He most likely cut ties with his family because they were stealing cars."

"Which would make Eleazar her uncle she contacted when her father was stationed in San Diego." I concluded. "Shit…"

I didn't know if anger was the right emotion to feel at the moment. Even though my father technically didn't do anything wrong, he was partly the reason why Tanya was causing so much trouble. Her family could have a vendetta against our family. And she was seeking her revenge through me. However, I couldn't bring myself to fault my father. I was the one who fucked up. I should have seen right through Tanya's façade. It was my own stupidity that brought this upon me. But at least now I knew she didn't have petty reason, such as me firing her and not having sex with her. This was a lot more personal.

"Where is Eleazar now?" Jasper ask.

"If he's alive, probably still in California." Carlisle answered.

"Maybe he planned this." Emmett suggested. Both of the twins were now wide awake, and he had Casey sitting upright in his lap. "Maybe he sent Tanya here to do the dirty work because he knew that Dad would recognize him."

"He had to have been keeping tabs on the Corporation. How else would he know that Carlisle was no longer CEO? Obviously, Edward wouldn't know anything about the Denalis, so when he hired Tanya, he wouldn't suspect a thing." Rosalie stated.

"How would he have been sure that Edward would hire Tanya?" Alice asked.

"Simple. He wasn't sure. He was taking a chance and got lucky. Obviously Edward didn't do a thorough background check on her." Jasper responded.

"I did do a background check. Everything she told me in the interview added up. She used to work for GM subdivision in New York. There was no criminal record. She graduated with honors and a degree in business from Princeton." I justified.

"That doesn't necessarily mean she's not a criminal. We don't have the information about her life in California to fill in the holes, but at least we know what her motive is." Jasper said.

"Wow, she's really stupid. She completely gave away her position." Emmett laughed hardily.

"So she has a motive. Isn't that all we need to have a case?" Esme asked.

"A case for what? She hasn't done anything besides make passes at Edward and get fired. She hasn't really done anything to damage the Corporation." Rosalie said.

"Couldn't Edward file a sexual harassment claim?" Alice put forward.

Emmett snickered and we glared at him. "Exactly who was harassing who here?"

"Emmett, now is not the time." Rosalie hissed.

"She already lost her job. There isn't much else the law would do." Carlisle said.

"She has made a few threats. Blackmail is a crime." I offered.

"Has she actually said what she would do? I mean, specifically?" Jasper turned to me. I shook my head. "Then there is nothing that the law can do. But that doesn't mean we can't do anything about it. What does she want, money?"

"No way, I'm not paying that bitch a dime!" I snapped.

"Edward, this isn't just about you anymore. If paying her is what will stop her from wreaking havoc, then that might be what we have to do." Carlisle tried to rationalized.

"So we reward her?" I criticized, pissed off. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Don't you dare take that tone with me." Carlisle scolded, standing from his chair. He approached me, a couple inches taller than my own frame. "Before you start shooting down any solutions we have, let's not forget who let this situation get out of hand because of his own _foolish arrogance_." He spat. "I made you CEO of the Corporation because I thought you were ready. But I can see now that you still have a lot of growing up to do. Although I am no longer on the board, I am still part owner of Cullen Corporation. And many of the members are my good friends."

I swallowed roughly, glaring up at him. "What are you saying, _father?_"

"I am saying, Edward Anthony Cullen, that next week, I will take it up with the board and put it to a vote."

"A vote for what?" My nostrils flared.

As we stood there, no one said a word. It was a standoff between the two of us, neither wanting to relinquish power to the other. I couldn't help it. I felt like I was being challenged , and there was no way I was backing down. However, little prepared me for what my father was going to say next.

"A vote to have you demoted, Edward."

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><p><strong>AN: Like I said, this chapter was just a filler. Now you know how Carlisle is involved with this mess. What do you think? Comment below and let me know! Reviews are wonderful! Thanks!**

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